188 
The Quality of BoMey. 
Two or three other points deserve notice. Resolution 26 says — 
That it is desirable to collect statistics of the market prices of meat, and 
ia particular that the prices of cattle at per stone, live weight., should he 
collected (in the same manner as the prices of corn are now returned) in 
such markets as may be selected for the purpose by the Board of Trade. 
Also in Resolution 25 we read — 
That it is desirable to collect statistics of market prices of commodities 
through the agency of market owners as far as possible. 
A great deal of evidence upon this subject has been collected 
both at home and abroad, and is referred to on pp. 111—118. 
The last resolution I will call attention to is number 18 : — 
That all powers given to Local Authorities in respect of markets by the 
Public Health Act should be extended so as to include fah-s. 
This is a very simple and necessary reform. 
The limits of space prevent my giving to several subjects the 
attention which they merit ; but I hope I have said enough to show 
that the Royal Commissioners have expended much labour upon the 
subject entrusted to them, and have shown great .skill in presenting 
the result of that labour to the public. 
Cecil M. CuapiMan. 
THE QUALITY OF BARLEY. 
The deterioration in the general quality of the barley of recent years 
growth is a matter sufficiently serious to demand careful investiga- 
tion. Undue richness in nitrogenous ingredients confers upon the 
barley grain a quality which is liked neither by maltsters nor by 
brewers. There exists an opinion tliat heavy artificial mai^uring 
may be accountable for an excessive percentage of nitrogen in barley. 
It is possible, too, that barley grown upon land wliich immediately 
previously has carried sheep, generously fed with cake, may likewise 
show too high a proportion of nitrogenous matter. The subject 
obviously is one for discussion ; still more is it one for experiment. 
In anticipation that the problem will receive full investigation, 
certain facts and opinions are liere recorded. 
In his opening address on November 11, 1889, as President of 
the Surveyors' Iiistitution, ]\Ir. E. P. Squarey, after quoting the lo.w 
average prices of l^nglish barley, proceeded " to call attention to a 
matter of grave moment to farmers and landowners disclosed in 
these figures. The average value of barley for ten years, from 1860 
to 1870, was 3fif.'. \d. per quarter, and 26s. Id. per quarter for 
1886-7-8, whilst tiie average up to September 1, 1889, is only 
2r)s. 4c?. Tliis variation appears to be due rather to a degradation 
of quality than to those causes of cheapened transport and increa.sed 
areas of cultivation Mliicli liave tended to reduce (he v.ilno of wlicat 
