The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-06-12
ENGLISH AND AMERICAN BARLEY.
Our Prod uct Is Poor, Owing to Shift
less Methods of Cultivation.

less Methods of Cultivation.
The best crop of barley in this country is
at its best very poor compared with the
English product, and it is generally desig-
mated as ''pig barley" by Europeans. who
consider it only fit for feeding purposes.
In England the finest products of barley
are found, and experiments have enabled
the farmers to raise its culture to the high
est scientific perfection. The reason of
the unfavorable comparison always made
between American and English barley is
due almost entirely to the shiftless way in
which We cultivate the grain, and not to
the soil or climate. Almost without ex-
ception the ground for barley is only poor
ly prepared for the seed, and after the crop
is planted in careless sort of fashion, the
grains are harvested in and out of season,
and threshed in such way as to destroy
many of the kernels.
Barley culture for mailing purposes has
never been profitable in this country for
several reasons. Maltsters do not buy it
so long as they can get English or Cana
dian barley for reasonable rates. but when
these crops fail they sometimes fall back
upon the American product. The result
is, farmers have allowed the crop to fall
into disrepute, and the final conclusion
has been reached that it is not paying
crop; that the foreign grain outsells the
home product, owing to better soil and
climate.
This is certainly all wrong. No better
soil or climate exists for successful barley
culture than in most parts of this country,
and if farmers could get the name of pro-
ducing fine barley, the prices would be
such as to make the work profitable The
old careless, shiftless, don't-care methods
must be abandoned, and the work taken
up with the intention of making it a sue
cess. From experiments abroad it is found
that barley requires rich, loamy soil in
good filth to succeed the best. As is not
good to apply the barn-yard manure direct
ly to the soil, 1t is good plan to make the
crop follow the corn where the land has
been heavily MANFRED for that purpose
The manure must be thoroughly worked
into the soil, or rank places will mark the
field throughout. An even stand is desired
and to get this the soil must be evenly
rich throughout, and seed sown as early as
possible Only the best of seeds, large,
perfect and uniform in size must be used,
and two bushels to the acre is the best
If sown thicker than this many of the
plants will be crowded back so that they
cannot ripen in time for the harvesting.
The cutting and threshing are important
parts of the culture of barley, for many
good crops can be spoiled for mailing pur-
poses at this time. The great fault with
American barley cultiyators is that they
harvest before the grain is thoroughly ripe,
according to the most convenient season.
If the crop is sown properly most of the
stocks will ripen about the same time, and
one can tell when to cut by the major
ity of the ears pointing down. Grain cut
at such time can be housed soon, and will
malt better. If grown for feeding it is not
necessary to be so particular, but if grown
for mating purposes a great point is
gained IN being able to house the grain at
once after cutting. If it is allowed to get
wet after being cut it will be greatly
injured, and it will be graded as only sec
ond or third class wnen it is offered for
sale. In threshing the barley the kernel
is often bruised by the rapidity of the ma
chinery. This should be avoided also, and
the machinery allowed to go onlv fast
enough TO shell the grain out and knock
the awns off without breaking or bruising
the kernels. The threshing should not
take place until the sweating process of
the grain is over, or il will Sweat in the
bin and cause fermentation. With such
improved methods of planting and han
ding barley on fair loamy soil there is no
reason why the American barley should
not sell for the same price as English or
Canadian, and prove to the public that il
Is good for something besides feeding pur-
poses. 4. B. BARRETT.