HUSB, 
ef grain is rather flow, it may be advifable to put it into 
the ground when it is in a tolerably dry condition, otherwise 
much of it may perifh, efpecially in wet feafons. It is 
fometimes the practice of farmers, when rye is intended 
to fcand for a crop, to feed it with fheep in the early 
fpring, as in the beginning of March; but this fhould 
never be done except where the crop is very luxuriant, 
and at fo early a period as that there may not be any 
danger of deftroying the new-formed ear. 
In the fouthern parts of England rye is often cultivated 
for the ufes of thofe engaged in the bufmefs of tanning- 
leather; but more frequently as a green food for fheep in 
the fpring, before the turnip-crops are ready. When 
grown in this view, it is neceffary to have attention to 
different circumftances, in order to derive the utmoft ad¬ 
vantage from the crops. As this grain begins to fhoot 
out, or fpindle, much earlier than wheat, care mull be 
taken that the feeding of it down is begun at a fufficient- 
ly early period, as the latter end of February or begin¬ 
ning of March; otherwife the Item becomes firm and 
fticky, and the fucceffion of green feed, after the firfl 
eating, extremely ffnall. Indeed this may be done 
earlier than the firfl of thefe periods, in cafes where the 
feafon is mild and open, and perlevered in till the end of 
April. In all cafes it is, however, advifable to let the crop 
be fo advanced in its growth as to cover the ground 
tolerably before the fheep are turned in. As this fort of 
green food is faid to have much effect in promoting the 
flow of milk in fuch ewes as have lambs, probably from 
its fucculency, and its ftimulant properties being applied 
immediately after the feverity of the winter feafon, when 
the bodies of animals are known to be more capable of 
being excited by the aCtion of flimuli, and when there is 
fcarcely any other fort of green feed that can leffen its 
operation by being taken along with it, the culture of it 
mull be the mod advantageous where fheep-hufbandry is 
extenfively combined with that of tillage, efpecially that 
department of it which relates to the feeding of lambs ; 
as by this means, from the quantity of fucculent nutri¬ 
tious food that is provided, the lambs are prevented from 
being Hinted in their growth while young, which is a 
matter of the utmoft importance in their future feeding. 
—See the article Triticum. 
Of BARLEY. 
From the tender and delicate nature of barley, efpecially 
in the early ftages of its growth, it is incapable of being- 
cultivated with advantage on the ftiff, heavy, and wet, 
deferiptions of foil, or fuch as are of a cold and tenacious 
quality. It is found to grow in the molt perfect manner 
in a loamy fand, or fuch foils as are moderately dry, and 
fufticiently light. The moft plump and t'nhmeft-rinded 
grain is afierted to be produced on fuch lands as are dry, 
light, and mellow'; and thefe are the qualities that are 
confidered as the moft eftimable. Light poor land, when 
dry and warm in refpeCt to foil and fituation, is even ca¬ 
pable of affording barley that is much fuperior in quality 
to fuch as is grown on ftrong lands, that are of a cold and 
moift nature. 
This fort of grain is cultivated after almoft every kind 
of crop; but it has been found to fucceed to the moft ad¬ 
vantage after thofe of the green or ameliorating kind; as 
turnips, potatoes, carrots, peafe, tares, &c. However, from 
the nature of grain-crops, it can feldoin be cultivated to 
much advantage after wheat, rye, or oats : in fuch cafes it 
has generally been obferved that the crops were blighted 
and imperfectly fed, even upon foils the moft favourable 
for barley. But after whatever fort of crop this grain 
may be Town, as the root is extremely tender, and requires 
much fupport during the firft ftages of its growth, from 
the quick manner in which the procefs of vegetation 
is carried on, the foil requires to be reduced into a ftate 
of much finenefs and pulverization, fo as to become pro- 
L N D R Y. - 543 
perly open and porous, in order to fecure a more certain, 
equal, and perfect, vegetation. 
In fowing this grain after peafe, or other pulfe, it is 
cuftomary to give the firft ploughing in the autumn; 
which fliould always be performed in fuch a manner, as 
that the greateft poflible extent of furface may be expofed 
to the influence of the atmofphere and the aCtion of the 
frofts; the ridges being at the fame time fo laid up, as 
that no injury may be produced by the wetnefs that may 
take place during the winter feafon. The fecond earth or 
furrow is moftly given about March. By this ploughing, 
two different purpofes are effeded in many cafes; the 
root-weeds, fuch as thofe of couch, and other noxious 
plants, may be loofened, fo as to be more readily extirpa¬ 
ted by the application of the harrows immediately after- 
wards, and the foil reduced to fo fine a tilth, as that thofe 
of the.feed kind may be induced to vegetate freely, and 
in confequence be more perfectly removed by the a'cfion 
of the plough and harrow at the period of putting in the 
feed. If this kind of grain be introduced after wheat, 
or other corn crops, which, as has been flrown, is by no 
means a practice to be recommended, the preparation of 
the land is moftly conducted in the fame manner as the 
above. 
In dry and unkindly feafons, barley is apt. to be much 
injured by the attacks of the worm ; which is known 
from the fudden change in the appearance of the crop, 
from a healthy green to a yellow call. On the firft ap¬ 
pearance of this change, the ufe of the roller ifhould be 
had recourfe to, in order that the fuperficial parts of the 
foil, which are probably become loofe and porous, may 
be effectually preffed, and thereby rendered too clofe and 
compaCt to admit the worm to prey upon the tender roots 
of the young plants. That this effect may be produced 
in the moft effectual manner, the roller ftiould be of -fuch 
a fize, or fo loaded, as to afford a preffure equal to the- 
draught of three or four horfes, which fliould be yoked 
double, in order to increafe the effeCt by their treading. 
It has been fuggefted, that, if by this method the injury 
can be counteracted until fuch time as rain falls, there 
need not be any apprehenfion of the crop, as the plants 
will foon pufn forward in fuch a manner as to become 
too ftrong to be in further danger. 
The produce of this grain, like that of moft others, 
varies confiderably according to the ftate of the foil, cli¬ 
mate, and the cultiVatiori that is employed ; but the ave¬ 
rage over the whole 'kingdom is probably from about 
twenty-feven to thirty bulhels the acre. In the county 
of Middlefex, according to the Report of that diftriCl, 
the average produce is about four quarters of grain and 
two loads of ftraw to the acre ; and in Yorkihire, on the 
turnip-lands, the produce is nearly the fame ; but in many 
other diftriCts it does not average more than three and a 
half. Barley fliould conftantly remain, out in the field 
until it be perfeftly dry and free from rtioifture, other- 
wife it is liable to heat in the (lack, and the fample be 
thereby greatly injured both for the purpofes of feed 
and malting.—For the beft time of fowing, proportions of 
feed, different fpecies, and moft approved culture, fee the 
article Hordeum, p. 278-282, of this volume. 
Of OATS. 
The Avena, or Oat, is a grain fo hardy, that it may 
be cultivated upon almoft any kind of foil ; but, like all 
other corn, it is the moft- productive on fuch as are 
ftrong, rich, and adhefive, and which have been newly - 
broken-up from the ftate of grafts.. It is fuggefted, that 
though this fort of grain generally fells lower than bar¬ 
ley, yet, from its being a more certain crop, the fuperior 
utility of the ftraw for the food of cattle, and the increafe 
in the quantity of produce, it is at leaft equal to barley- 
for medium loams. And that for ftronger forts of lands 
and thofe of the fen kind, it is greatly fuperior to it] 
though. 
