Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 1, 1802).djvu/192

168] which they steep thoroughly in clean water, for at least twenty-four or thirty-six hours, according to the more or less dry constitution of the season. For our part, we would prefer steeping the grain; because in this manner all the light and unripe grains swimming on the top, may be easily skimmed off, and thus perhaps the smut at the same time prevented. Although quick-lime has often been recommended to be mixed with the wet barley, before it is sown, yet we agree with those who are of opinion, that it poisons the seeds, absorbs part of its useful moisture, and injures the hands of the sower. As clean water imparts no tenacity, the seed will scatter properly; but being swelled in the proportion of three to four, or two to three, it is necessary to use a fourth or third part more in bulk; to harrow it in, as quickly as possible, after it is sown; and, if convenient, to give it the benefit of a fresh furrow. By this method, it appears above ground, at the farthest, in a fortnight, if these particulars be duly attended to.

A correspondent of the Bath Society states, that in the remarkably dry spring of 1783, he soaked his seed-barley in the black water taken from a reservoir which constantly received the draining of stables. As the light corn floated on the surface, he skimmed it off, and suffered it to rest twenty-four hours. On taking it from the water, he mixed the seed-grain with a sufficient quantity of wood-ashes, to make it spread more regularly, and sowed with it three fields. The produce was sixty bushels per acre, of good clean barley, without any small or green corn, or weeds at harvest. He also sowed several other fields with the same seed, dry, and without any preparation, but the crops were poor, producing only twenty bushels per acre, and much mixed with green corn and weeds.

There is a species of this grain which was introduced into Britain about thirty years since, by Mr., and is hence called by his name, or sometimes Siberian Barley; it is possessed of qualities that entitle it to particular consideration as an object of importance in agriculture. From a quart of it sown in May 1768, he procured nearly a bushel, which he sowed in April 1769, in drills drawn by a plough; and from this he reaped thirty-six bushels of clean corn. Since that period, Mr. has made many experiments to ascertain the merits of this prolific grain as bread-corn, and as proper for malting.—He accordingly informs us, in the second volume of the Georgical Essays, price 2s. 6d. published in 1771, that its flour makes excellent bread, peculiarly retentive of moisture: and the ale brewed from its malt has a fine colour, flavour, and body. (See the variety of our second species, from which it will appear that this grain is the same which Dr., in his Latin Dissertation, On the Medicinal Plants of Norway, feelingly characterizes, by calling it the Heavenly Barley, because it is equally grateful and efficacious.)

As a proof of the extraordinary fecundity of barley, and how much the fertility of the soil contributes to the increase of vegetable productions, we shall mention an instance which occurred in the summer of, 1797, at Reichenbach, in Upper Saxony. Two grains of our third species