Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-05-03
Albany, May 26, 1870.
Soils and Rotation for Barley

The following remarks on the soils best
adapted for barley, and the best rotation
for the crop, are from lengthy article by
Hon Geo. Geddes. in the n. Y. Tribune:
On this point am sorry to differ from
high authority, but [ cannot surrender
opinions based on many years Of experience
and much observation. Clay lands that
are properly drained, and we'll cultivated,
are far preferable for this crop to sandy
lands But the cultivation must be per-
feet and so managed as to bring the soil
into a mellow condition. Perfect pulver-
ization is essential. Barley is grown in
about four months. The longer the time
given it the better the yield, all other
things being equal. Sandy land is too quick
in an ordinary season, and shortens the
time for the crop too much. Dry, warm
weather, that on a sandy soil would destroy
all prospects of large crop, would on clay
do little or no injury. We expect, in this
climate, such weather in June and July.
In the more humid climate of England,
the case may be all different
My preference is for a clayey well drain
ed soil, and we but rarely apply barn-yard
manure to this crop; the design being to
have the land in a fair condition of fertili-
ty, and no more.
In our five year rotation, barley and oats
fellow corn. The corn crop, though a
gross feeder, has left the soil in a fair con-
| diti0n for these grains. But as we do not
use one-ffth Of the farm for corn, and
therefore, do not have enough ground in
corn-stubble for the barley and oat crops
we SOW a large proportion of our barley OF
clover sod, which we prefer to the corn
stubbIc ground-expecting from seven tC
ten bushels more from an acre. The Glove
sod, in a growing season, sometimes pro
duces rather too much straw for the bes
! yield of grain. The crop that succeeds tn
barley, is with almost unvarying certainty
winter wheat. sowed in the fall after tn
barley has been harvested.
If barley Is sown on old sod, it is bes
to pillow it late in fall before the barley
TO be sown. Leave the burrows unhaT0w
ed, Just as the pillow left them for the az
ton Of the winters frost. Early in tn
spring-as soon as the ground will allo'
the trampling of teams and the use of too
T harrow. and SOW the seed. | have see
barley sown on our dry grounds before tn
frost was entirely cut Of them. The top
the soil would be free from frost and dr
enough to work, while the ground undo
the furrow was vet hard with frost
D If barley Is -own on corn stubble We 4
not often fall pillow, but As early in ii
spring a. will do. We tit our ground, plov
/ ing once only, and SOW the seed. BarlC
= must be sown early, or light crop may
= expected.
;, Two bushels OF seed is enough for
n acre; would rather SOW less than nor
e We sow with the drill, because we tn
"a. plant the seeds at the uniform depths
e about two inches and we finish the wo
: a. we 90 along. It Is no more work
: drill an acre than it il to harrow it, al
, the drill leaves the ground lighter thu
y does harrow
q Whenever necessary, we roll our grou
d before drilling and always, unless the sc
son i too wet, roll after the grain has col
h up aud is three or four inches high. I'll
ID rolling fattens down the grain, and if t
Y ground Is dry it pulverizes it, paradoxiC
le as this may appear. The ridges left by t
f. drill, in the process of being hattened
e, the roller, are moved on each side iowa
ID the trenches. This necessarily crowds t
it particles of the soil over each other, a
e thus breaks up their cohesion. If
m ground had been left perfectly level at t
r. time of sowing the seed, this effect of t
ID roller would not be so apparent. In ca
T. Of drouths this rolling is Of the great
Importance.
ty Immediately after the roller comes t
IS machine for sowing gypsum, that ever
OF distributes bushel to the acre on t
oe spread-out leaves of the young plants.