Barley from a Malisler's Point of View. 
497 
a really mellow grain be secured. "When cut too early the 
grain becomes steely, and hence of far less value to the maltster. 
It is at harvest-time that the evil effect of using mixed seed 
manifests itself, for some kinds of barley will ripen fully a fort- 
nitrht earlier than others, and it follows that if these be sown 
together, a part of the crop will be dead ripe before the rest is 
fit to cut, and an evenly matured sample is therefore simply 
impossible. Steam thrashers, which are now almost universally 
employed, have of late years proved more satisfactory than 
formerly, because of the improvements introduced in them, but 
I venture to think that there is still room for further progress 
in this direction. With a properly constructed machine the 
awn should be knocked off without in any way injuring the 
grain, as too often happens, and care should especially be taken 
not to set the thrasher too close, or the skin of the corns will be 
cut and mould ensue. In respect to " dressing " I have one 
practical suggestion to make, which if acted upon would prevent 
much of the disappointment occasioned to buyers and loss to 
the sellers of barley. The common practice is to " dress" only 
once ; but a second dressing would be found not only to give 
satisfaction, but would prove positively remunerative to the 
farmer, as the following simple calculation will demonstrate : — 
£ s. d. 
100 qra. barley once dressed at 295 145 0 0 
S)6 qrs. barley twice dressed at 30s, 144 0 0 
4 qrs. of screenings at 20s. , , . ' . . . , 4 0 0 
148 0 0 
Cost of dressing 100 qrs. at l^d 12 6 
147 7 6 
showing a diflference of 2L 7s. 6d. in favour of the second- 
dressing. 
Assuming, however, that the best barley has been sown, and 
that the methods of cultivation, harvesting, and thrashing 
employed upon it leave nothing to be desired, there is yet 
another vicious practice only too common with English farmers, 
which must be corrected if they want to deliver the grain to the 
maltster in perfect condition. I refer to the custom of storing 
the barley in great heaps on the bam floor, for days or even 
weeks at a time, without turning it over, until it has acquired 
an earthy, or as it is sometimes termed, a " mushroomy " smell. 
Now it is superfluous to point out that there is always a certain 
amount of moisture in the grain, which, as it lies in a heap, 
must sooner or later induce a certain heating and sweating. 
This in its turn not only produces the disagreeable smell referred 
VOL. XXIV. — s. s. K K 
