The Washington critic., 1885-11-26
THE NEGLECTED BARLEY CRoP
A Cereal Which Yields tho Creates

A Cereal Which Yields tho Greatest
Profit Per Acre Imported from Cam
ada.
Statistics gathered by the department of
agriculture show that there is one cereal,
and but one which the farmers of the
United States fail to produce IN quantities
sufficient for home consumption. Barley is
this neglected grain, and of the whole
amount consumed in the country about 16
per cent. is purchased abroad, the average
amount imported yearly during the last
five years being 10,0GS, ,93l bushels
The proportion of foreign barley con
sumed is steadily increasing, the average
imports per annum for the ten years from
1871 TO 1880 inclusive being but little more
than siy million bushels. More than 80 per
cent. of this imported barley is purchased
from Canada, and our aggregate export of
all cereals and cereal products excepting
corn and wheat, is scarcely sufficient to pay
for the imports of this one grain in 1888 1t
amounted to less than one-thlrd as much.
1t is remarkable that the farmers Of the
United states, possessing both soil and eli
mate favorable for the growth of this grain,
permit their Canadian brothers to supply
such large proportion Of the steadily in
creasing demand. It is quito extensively
grown In New York, Wisconsin, Minnesota,
Iowa, and California, and is in each u valu-
able and paying crop.
The demand is steady at prices which
make 1t one Of the most desirable Of farm
products.
In 1884, taking the whole country, It was
the best-paylng cereal grown. The value
per acre was Sl1.42, while that Of corn was
but 1919, wheat SS,3S, and rye 1894. The
YIELD per acre was lower than that of corn
and oats only, while tho price per bushel
was largely above either, and but few
cents below that OF rye. In Pennsylvania
the value per acre of the barley crop was
nearly double that Of rye, yet but $1,000
acres were devoted to the former while the
latter was grown on 100000 acres.
Why the fields of Ontario should be de-
voted to the raising of grain to be con-
sumed in the United States, while the farm
ers Of New York, Michigan and the great
northwest devote their energies TO the rails
ing Of other cereals requiring an equal
amount Of labor, and yet yielding a much
less profit per acre, is an agricultural CO.
nundrum. Certainly here is a chance for
systematic and rcmunerative rotation OF
cropping, and It Is hoped farmers will give
intelligent consideration TO the above facts,
which come to them though the authentic
channels OF the department of agriculture.
Solid Column of Cattle.
Gov. Colman, commissioner Of agrlcul.
ture, in his address before the national
on the 18th instant, said that II solid col
umn should be formed twelve animals deep,
one end resting at New York city, It's
center encircllng San Francisco, and its
other arm reaching ack 10 Boston, such
column would contain about the mum
Der which now forms tho basis, the capitll
stock, so TO speak of the cattle, Industry Of
the United States. The value OF these ami
mails is not less than l,20O, 900 900,
Seeds From Abroad
The State Department has instructed all
United States cOnsuls 10 make collection OF
and purchase for the agricultural depart
ment seeds Of such varieties OF tobacco ~
in their judgment will be adapted 10 tn,
different sections Of the United States
These win be distributed by the department
and II Is believed will prove a valuable al
dltion to the tobacco Interests Of the coun
try.
The Seed Distribution.
The seed division Of the agricultural dc
partment Is busily engaged In putting "a
seeds Of every kind for distribution, Thi
division hope TO have all seeds intended 70
late winter and early spring planting read.
for distribution by Feb. /. Mai. King, tn
efficient chief Of the seed division, is abson
on a short leave, TO eat Thanksgiving Dime
with his family at his home In Indiana. DR.
Branham, his assistant, Is In charge OF tn
bureau. Great credit is due to their effort
in putting up SO rapidly and distributing
with such excellent judgment the seed
adapted TO each section Of the country.