Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-11-10
Proper Culture of Barley.

From the proceedings of the Matters Ma
tional Association, held at Philadelphia, in
August last, we collect and condense the fol-
lowing; One great purpose of the associa-
tion Is to promote the production Of better
quality of barley by proper attention to seed
ing and cultivation and also to make the
quality Of American malt so excellent as to
compel its use, and practically prohibits the
use of all substitutes. Our readers are
aware OF the immense capital now invested
in the mailing business hence the question
Of the future supply Of barley is an absorb.
ing one, as the prospects for the future are
admitted to be exceedingly gloomy. Hence
many existing evils must be remeded to in.
sure the prosperity of the trade. The last
crop of barley in Canada is roughly csti-
mated to have been ten millions Of bushels,
and of this amount not more than one mil
lion could be classed as perfect,
iull.grown or mature grain. If there had
been nine millions Of perfect grain, and but
one million bushels Of ordinary quality, with
out adding kernel to the numerical guam
tity, there would have been fourteen mil
lions Of perfect grain, for the reason that
sound, full-grown kernels are fifty per cent
larger than ordinary ones The soil and eli
mate of Canada are admitted to be better
for barley than any other crop, so that the
failure in production cannot be attributed to
the soil, but to the inferior seed The most
perfect seed should always be selected, if a
superior quality is looked for in the crop at
harvest. 1t is believed to be important that
barley seed should be changed every year,
no matter how excellent the seed may have
been and that the annual selection of seed
should be from the best quality and from
soils best adapted to this particular grain,
Experience, it is claimed, proves that the
change of seed to other soil every year
greatly improves the grain for mailing pur-
poses.
Such seed should be put through separa-
tors and from it taken all small or inferior
grams, leaving only to be sown such as are
maturcly ripened, full size, sound and per-
feet in every particular. One great evil,
we wish to especially guard against is late
sowing for the reason that late sown crops
ripen simultaneously with those of earlier
date consequently are premature and to.
bnilJ hbub iOA AioAbihb uilooSoi VI nNSN
Let sowing be done as early as the season
will permit The season in Canada is con-
sidered to be too short for growing two.
rowed grain successfully, hence it is deemed
best to abandon it to slow growing climates
1t should not be mixed either for seeding OF
mailing purposes, because it must be brought
to maturity in one.sixth more time than six
rowed barley. Flowing should be done with
small burrows tapping closely over the other
in order to con6ne the air and thereby warm
the soil for immediate sowing, or rather drill
ing which is preferred because it places tht
grain at uniform depth thus insuring it
equal growth, and all of it being ready tC
harvest at the same time. Great care should
be taken to use enough seed to prevent stool
ing or branching, as the stooling heads are oI
later growth, and produce inferior kernels
by premature harvesting.
In all cases where slopes will admit, the
drilling should be done from due east to west
so that the grain may receive the sun upoI
but one side, shading ITSELF and retaining it:
moisture upon the other side, in reserve fol
continuous season of dry weather. An
other evil is in cutting the crop before it il
ripe. The grain should stand until thu
heads begin to droOp. Many farmers pur
posely cut the grain when green to bleach i
or give it pale color, which Injuries it fo
both sowing and mailing while if it wer,
allowed to stand it would become a straw
color, and be more desirable for both uses
Many kernels are cracked and broken il
threshing, and these are not only total loss
but injnre the sale Of the barley or malt
To obviate this, it is only necessary to Sc
the machine wider and increase its speed
As the matters are compelled to use sucl
barley as can be obtained, they are greatly
over-stocked with inferior qualities of malt
which are unsalable, unsatisfactory for brew
ing purposes, of nominal value, aud is re
placed by substitutes. A few years ago the
Canadians furnished us with our best grain
but they are now forced to acknowledge tina
they do not possess single sample ht FOL
exhibition at tho Centennial. The issue il
this-uDless the important rules-matureC
seed, change Of soil, early sowing, proper
harvesting and careful threshlng-are fol
lowed, the questions Of the supply OF good
mailing barley will become a serious one
and it will be a question OF but few year
whether Canada preserves her character as Q
barley district, or become as obsolete and de