1 2 
TI1E COTTAGE GARDENER. 
Apkii, 7. 
though some tilings may necessarily he a little later by 
the delay, yet it often happens that the impulse given 
to vegetation by the “setting in” of fine weather, is 
such as often enables the later sown to overtake the 
earlier, that our young friends need not yet despair by 
their labours being delayed a week or two by adverse 
weather and other things. 
Before dry weather fairly sets in, let the walks he 
carefully looked over, and the edgings put to rights, and 
the walks themselves well rolled, adding new gravel, if 
necessary. Before this be done, it is advisable to 
break up the old to the depth of an inch or more, in 
order that the whole may go down into one solid mass, 
and the new not shell olf, as it sometimes does, when 
not united to the understratum. This operation of 
rolling, &c., ought not to be delayed longer than to 
allow the worst frosts to be over; and it ought, likewise, 
to be done when the walk is wet, rather than otherwise, 
except that the top may be slightly dried, to prevent its 
adhering to the roller. If it be done at the right time, 
the chances are that the walks keep good all summer; 
and we know of nothing which adds more to the beauty 
of a garden, or grounds, than sound and well-kept 
walks; and their keeping in such order is a much less 
difficult matter than many would suppose, if due care 
be taken to do what is needful at the right time. 
J. Robson. 
AGRICULTURAL OPERATIONS FOR APRIL. 
The preparation of land for Barley will now occupy the 
farmer’s attention ; and the practice having become general 
to sow Barley after Turnips upon all dry soils, in almost 
every county in England, it has also become a matter of 
great importance to ascertain how the land can he best 
tilled, so as to produce the greatest quantity of grain fit for 
malting purposes. 
It is well known, that the nature of the soil has’a great 
influence on the quality of Barley; but, sometimes, the 
peculiar preparation of the land has a prejudicial elfect on 
the crop upon soils naturally favourable to its production. 
This is especially the case where land has been highly 
manured for Turnips, the crop being consumed on the 
land by sheep, eating oil-cake and hay in addition. The 
natural effect of this management is to bring the land into 
a highly fertile state. If it be now ploughed two or three 
times, with sundry harrowings, and rollings, before the 
Barley is sown (although it is a common practice), it cannot 
be considered necessary for the success of the crop, because 
the treading of the sheep in feeding on Turnips, upon all 
light soils, is most essential, in consolidating the land, 
enabling it to retain the manure, and to withstand the 
drought of summer ; therefore, the effect of repeated 
ploughings, &c., is calculated to diminish the benefit de¬ 
rived from slieep-feeding, to increase the expense of tillage, 
and to delay the time of sowing. In a forcing season, it 
will be found too encouraging to the growth of straw; 
whereas, in a dry season, the Barley will vegetate partially, 
and, in consequence, produce an uneven, edge-grown crop, 
unfit for malting purposes; and the clover seeds, which it 
is usual to sow amongst the Barley, will often suffer from 
the same cause. 
It will be found the most desirable plan to pursue, in 
j order to counteract the effect of this high tillage, to plough 
I once only, deep enough to bring up a little fresh earth, and 
I sow a reduced quautity of seed, at the earliest period the 
I land can be made to work freely. The best time for sowing 
Barley will be found from the middle of March to the 
middle of the month of April; a sample of malting Barley 
cannot be depended on, in ordinary seasons, upon any soil 
or situation, after this period ; and it is a general rule, that 
early-sown Barley will produce the best quality, although 
not always the greatest quantity. 
It is somewhat difficult to say which are the best sorts of 
Barley, as almost every county in England has varieties 
adapted to its soil and climate, ascertained by the practical 
experience of the cultivators of each particular district. 
Yet, it may be well to name some of the kinds most in 
general use; amongst which will be found, the Chevalier, 
Leghorn, Nottingham, Red-bearded American, and Thanet. 
The Chevalier Barley certainly stands highest in estimation 
for malting purposes, and also as best adapted for the 
climate of the eastern and southern counties of England; 
it also gives the best return when grown upon the lightest 
soils, but is apt to lodge upon good laud in high tillage. 
The Nottingham and American varieties are best suited for 
good loamy soils, and best adapted to the climate of the 
north and western counties ; they will both yield upon rich 
land, a longer and heavier crop of straw, without lodging, 
than the Chevalier, or most other kinds. The quality of the 
grain of Nottingham Barley is often good, and fit for 
malting ; but the American is usually somewhat coarse, and 
better adapted for grinding, or distilling purposes. The 
Moldavian possesses advantages we do not find in either of 
the other sorts, the grain, being particularly small and 
short, commonly weighs heavy, and is much esteemed for 
malting. It is also a good yielding variety, and known to 
possess the peculiarity of producing a sample fit for malting, 
when sown at a later period than most other sorts. It has 
been known to produce good malting grain at the rate of 
six or seven quarters per acre, when sown the second week 
in May. 
The quantity of seeds required will range from six to 
sixteen pecks per acre, being regulated by a variety of cir¬ 
cumstances, such as early or late sowing, sowing broadcast, 
drilled, or dibbled. When sown broadcast upon poor soil 
not highly manured, and at an early period, from fourteen 
to sixteen pecks will be required; when drilled upon land 
in good tillage, from ten to twelve pecks will be found an 
ample allowance of seed ; when dibbled, two or three grains 
should be placed in each hole—the distance seven inches 
one way, and four inches the other: the object of dibbling 
being that of saving seed, and giving an opportunity to hoe, 
and eradicate weeds, particularly charlock. 
Barley does not answer for thin seeding so well as most 
other grain, by reason of a thin plant tillering so much as 
to cause it to ripen unevenly, oftentimes diminishing the 
produce, and rendering the sample coarse and flinty, and 
unfit for malting purposes. 
The period has now arrived when it is desirable to look 
forward and decide upon the quantity and kind of Manures 
required for use upon the land intended for root-crops ; 
therefore, the sooner the manures are purchased and stored 
away, or prepared for use, the better, as it often happens 
when the order for manures is delayed until within a few 
days of the time appointed for its application, unforeseen 
circumstances arise which prevent their being obtained, and 
delay, with loss of crop, often ensues. This is the best time 
also for digging peat , or paring borders for burning, in order 
that the supply of ashes, so essential for mixing with arti¬ 
ficial manures, may be in readiness when required. I 
usually obtain a quantity of bone-dust about this time, and 
prepare it for drilling with Turnips, &c., by mixing soft yellow 
sand or loam with an equal quantity of bone-dust, adding 
water until it begins to run from the heap, then turning two 
or three times, mixing carefully, casting the mass into a 
conical heap, with a slight covering of sand, and allowing it 
to remain until required for use. At the end of about six 
weeks, the bones will be found in a decayed state, and the 
sand highly impregnated with ammonia, forming, with the 
addition of superphosphate of lime, an excellent manure for 
the Turnip crop, particularly upon soils deficient in sand. 
Bones may also be treated in the same manner with ashes, 
if the nature of the soil does not require sand applied ; but 
it will be found upon most land of a loamy kind, where 
Turnips have been sown repeatedly, that the sand will have 
a most beneficial effect, it being a maiden earth, and much 
in use by gardeners for plants in the infant state, hence the 
advantage to be derived by root-crops, all the plants being 
so small and tender in their first growth. 
In answer to a Subscriber, enquiring the proportions of 
Pigeon and Fowl-dung, with water, to be applied for Turnips 
by the liquid-manure drill; three or four hogsheads of water 
to six hundredweight of pigeon or fowl-duug will be found 
sufficient for an acre; the mixture may be made with advan¬ 
tage a few days or weeks before it is required for use, the 
liquid and dung being drilled altogether; it would, at the 
