BARLEY CULTURE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume III, Issue 901, 3 October 1866, Page 5

BARLEY CULTURE.

(From tlia Wei:ki.\' Herald.) Vs the period when those who prefer sowing larley late in the season, is last drawing lear, a few words upon tho growth of this rop may not be out of place. By some it s sown as late as the lirst week in November. This allows, what barley requires, , thorough tillage of the soil, and the weather being warm and moist rapid and ovular growth at onec takes place—matters nost essential in growing barley for tho naltitcr. Barley to be profitable, nefids better ireatuent than one farmer out of twenty thinks >f giving i,t. Barley of every description oves good tilth"; the land upon vliich it is sown should be thoroughly veil-worked ; no half measures will do or barley ; the paddocks for this 'rain ought to be brought into. a. sort of asliicap character. It flourishes upon good and, well tilled and well manured; no laud ntended for barley should have less than three ploughmgs, unless after a root crop ivhich has been well worked by horse hoes ill summer, aud upon light land. In England it usually snccceds turnips, and is seldom bo generally productive as when it follows that crop ; but here, where turnips are little grown, or not at all, and it generally succecds a white straw crop, for we suppose it has never been so., complimented as to have had a fallow prepared for its reception. In fact barley, in the few instances i,n which it has been grown in this part of Now Zealand, has rarely had a fair sharo of good treatment, and when it has produced an average crop after a white straw: one tho season has had more to do. with it than the system adopted by the farmer. Tho barley is a dolicate plant, aud quite unsuited for lands act all; exhausted. The laud on which barley is grown should be liflit iu texture, and should be well drained if naturally wet. For poor, tenacious, and cold land, it is wholly unfit, and except upon genial soils its culture ought not to be attemntcd. It is also very subject to the attacks of the caterpillar, but less subject to the disease thau any other cereaL It is sometimes attacked by smut, but is seldom injured to any extent. The seed may be steeped for smut, as is done with seed wheat, and should be well screened before sowing for it is usually full of seeds, oi f rasa and weeds, and light grains, the lattei of which are very difficult to separate unless well " aulmcd." . Of the sorts for sowing, the Chevalier is the most superior malting barley, and is the improved old English common barley which it closely resembles, but contains from four to six more grains in each ear. It is rounder, plumper, aud has a largei proportion of sugar. Its general character for the purposes of both the millei and maltster is superior; and it tillers sc strongly that half a bushel less per acre l'oi seed will do. Its straw is weak, and nol much relished by cattle, and is subject to b( laid more than common or Cape barley If drilled, ten pecks are sufficient ; bu if broadcast, not leas than three bushels.