favourable far the Groioth of Seed. 
57 
excepting the April wheat, should be sown later than February 
in the eastern, and March in the western districts of England. 
liarlci/. — The soils in which barley flourishes most luxuriantly 
are free-working loams, and it is by no means uncommon for 
such land to be distinguished as barley-land. This preference 
arises from the natural habit of growth in the barley, which 
requires a considerable freedom of action for the development of 
that bunch of fibres of which its root consists. In the prepara- 
tion of land for its growth this has to be remembered ; for, 
if the character of the soil is not naturally of the description 
required, we are compelled to adopt measures for rendering it as 
much so as possible. The firmness which was so necessary for 
wheat is objectionable here, and the more completely it is de- 
stroyed the better.* The course of procedure will depend upon 
the nature and the quality of the land. It is very seldom that 
barley is now cultivated except after a root-crop, and I shall pre- 
sume, therefore, that a root-crop has been consumed upon the land. 
Upon the li(j]Uest class of barley-soils there is great danger of the 
manure being washed through the soil ; on such lands, therefore, 
the use of the ])l(>ugli is avoided at this time, as the inversion of 
the soil would fa^•our the loss of manure, and the aid of a culti- 
vator suffices to loosen the soil for the seed-bed. Other soils are 
brought into a sufficiently loose and free condition for sowing, 
by means of a single ploughing, but by far the larger breadth of 
our barley-soils requires further preparation. Soils which have 
only a moderately adhesive character become considerably 
hardened by the treading of sheep in feeding-ofF roots, and the 
hardness is often much increased by the drying action of the sun 
and air at the latter end of the season. As soon as the ground is 
clear of sheep it should be ploughed up, and if in any way dis- 
posed to bake it should be either rolled or harrowed immediately 
afterwards, as the nature of the soil may render most desirable : 
it should remain in this state until the time for sowing approaches, 
and then be ploughed a second time. If this does not Ijring the- 
soil into a sufficiently free working condition the use of the roller 
and drag will be required. If the second ploughing is preceded 
by the use of the drag, it will materially favour the work, and 
this should certainly be done if the soil promises to give trouble, 
lor, in this way, we shall find after the succeeding ploughing 
that the bottom portion of the surface-soil will have lost much of 
its firmness. 
In this or some similar manner the soil must be reduced to a 
free working condition ready for the seed, for it is the worst of 
* That is to say, within four or five inches of the surface. According to my 
experience any loosening of the subsoil by double ploughing on light land, in a. 
dry climate, is prejudicial to the barley crop.— P. H. F. 
