ENGLISH BARLEY CULTURE. 
375 
the ground, and those not highly distinguished 
for excellence. There were a few Berkshires, 
very good — the best on the ground; a few oth- 
ers white, or spotted, as the blood of comming- 
ling breeds predominated, but in the aggregate, 
far short, both in numbers and quality of what 
this great pork- producing state should exhibit. 
It may be well, however, to remark, that in a 
first exhibition of this kind, with but few ave- 
nues of transit by railway, or canal, and among 
a people unaccustomed to festivals of this sort, 
a timidity, only to be overcome by repetition, 
would prevail, and at a future time, a much 
more varied display will be made in all the de- 
partments of live stock. Four or five diminu- 
tive black Shetland ponies were exhibited by 
Mr. Dougal, from Canada West, which were pur- 
chased by Mr. James, of Auburn, for a Queen- 
Mab establishment, which, with two or three 
others of pied colors belonging to an Ohio gen- 
tleman, made a world of fun for the boys, and 
added to the variety of stock exhibited. A few 
coops of common-place fowls, set off by a dozen 
or two of Mr. Douglass' Dorkings, a few pairs 
of fancy pigeons, and a lop-eared rabit or two 
belonging to Mr. Kitterel, filled these depart- 
ments, and put the finale on the catalogue of 
domestic animals for the occasion. 
In the domestic manufactures, farm imple- 
ments, and miscellaneous departments, the 
exhibitions were large, varied, and extensive. 
Numerous works of handicraft, useful and or- 
namental, from Ohio and other states, were on 
the ground, all praised and recommended by 
their various fabricators and venders, while the 
usual amount of gim-crackery, good for any- 
thing or nothing, as the case may be, formed 
ample room for display and admiration. 
The butter and cheese were good — what there 
was of it. The samples of wheat, corn, and 
other grains were excellent; and throughout 
these common-place departments, the show was 
creditable and gratifying. It is to be regretted 
that the mechanics of Cincinnati did not join 
in the exhibition of the state society, as it would 
have added greatly to the interest of the occa- 
sion. They held an exhibition during the same 
week, at their own building in the city, where 
was a grand display of their various workman- 
ship; and as this is the great manufacturing 
mart of the Mississippi Valley, probably no 
town in the United States can equal the Cincin- 
nati mechanics in the skill, variety, and quan- 
tity of their iron manufacturers, while in other 
materials they are increasing both in extent 
and value. 
The Floral hall was beautifully got up and 
arranged-^indeed what is not tastily done, when 
those charming despots, the women, have the 
direction ? The show of flowers was rich, va- 
ried, and choice. Apples, pears, peaches, 
grapes, from Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Michi- 
gan, Illinois, Virginia, New York, Pennsylvania, 
and Canada were there and equal in quality and 
appearance to any ever exhibited. Flowers, too, 
in great abundance, were thickly festooned, or 
clustered or scattered in masses, or in ambus- 
cade all over the tables, and the entire hall, as 
in our own shows, was one dense crowd of 
people during the three days of the exhibition. 
There were many guests from other states, 
and state societies, who were received with 
much hospitality and attention by members of 
the state board of agriculture, and their com- 
mittees, and a welcome to their well-stored 
refreshment room on the grounds during the 
days of their show. 
On the last day, in the afternoon, before the 
reading of premiums, in the absence of Mr. Cor- 
win, who was appointed to deliver the address 
before the society, Gov. Wright, of Indiana, 
made a short off-hand speech, which was hear- 
tily received. Mr. Gest, a member of the board, 
then read the awards of prizes, and the affair 
was closed with the presentation, by Mr. Gest, 
on the part of the society, of a beautiful silver 
goblet to the veteran Mr. Nicholas Longworth, 
in a neat speech as a testimonial and acknowl- 
edgement of his services in the introduction 
and cultivation of the grape, and the manufac- 
ture of wine in Ohio, which was responded to 
impromptu, by Mr. Longworth. The audience 
then dispersed, and the labors of the board of 
agriculture for 1850 were concluded. 
In one feature of this Ohio show, I was much 
disappointed. There were verv few sales of 
stock of any description ; so different from the 
activity in that line which marks the New-York 
state cattle shows. A perfect listlessness 
seemed to prevail on that subject; and what 
few transactions took place, appeared to be 
done after a long parley and haggling, which, 
to one accustomed to the off-hand purchases 
at the north, seemed very odd. They will prob- 
ably improve in this department, one of the 
most beneficial objects of the occasion. 
I may hereafter give you a sketch of other 
things of interest which I saw in my hurried 
sc>;urn through Ohio. A Visitor. 
ENGLISH BARLEY CULTURE. 
As our adult readers are generally aware, 
Indian corn is not an English crop. Barley is 
much cultivated not only for malt but food. 
It is sown after turnips, which are also a great 
crop there ; also after peas and beans, but sel- 
dom after wheat or oats; that rotation being 
too exhausting to the land. 
Quantity of Seed. — Upon rich land, eight pecks 
per acre are commonly sown, and sometimes 
twelve, while upon poor lands a still larger 
quantity of seed is given ; the object being to 
put on seed enough to prevent all off-shoots, 
which are produced when too little seed is used 
and injures the crop. The most common seed- 
ing time is in April, though good crops are often 
produced from much later sowing. Barley is 
always considered a difficult crop to save in 
bad weather in England, but in our more ge- 
nial clime for harvesting, it is not so much so. 
It should be cut before the straw gets brittle, 
(and so should wheat and oats,) and well dried 
before stacking, or it is very apt to heat. A 
good way to prevent this, is, to make a hollow 
stack. Take four poles and fasten together like 
a four-sided ladder, two feet square at bottom 
