ON THE CULTIVATION OF BARLEY.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume 2, Issue 28, 17 January 1850, Page 2

ON THE CULTIVATION OF BARLEY.

In directing attention to the approaching Agricultural Show, we have ennmerated a variety of grains and fruits which we consider it would be of the greatest advantage to the natives to cultivate. Of the several varieties, so named, it is our inteuiion, from time to time, to treat ; —affording every practical information Willi respect to their mode of culture, the description of Jand best adapted to tlidr production, mid the general purposes to which such products are npplied. Willi this view, we proceed to furnish a concise but clear account of the growth and properties of barley a grain the culture of which will be lound fully as instrumental to native prosperity, as (lie grontfi of wheat which they now so entirely comprehend, and from which they have so largely benefitted. Barley in all its varieties, is readily dbtin. guishuble from other grain. There is a roughness of the skin, mid a sharpness of the extremities, even when thrashed, that indicate its character, at onco, to the most superficial observer; and, when growing, the graceful, feathery, curvature of the cars, render it one ol the handsomest of cereal productions. Barley formed a principal part of the food of mail in the early ages of the world ; ami, in many of the poorer countiics of liurope, where the progress of agriculture and the increase of wealth have been limited, continues to do so at the present day. Of all the cultivated grains, barley is per- • lr.ips tint which comes to perfection iu the

greatest variety of climates, and is consequently found over tlie greatest extent of the habitable globe. It bears the lieat and drought of tropical regions, and ripens in the short, summers of those which verge 011 the frigid /one. In genial climates, such as Kgypt and Spain, two crops of barley may be reaped in the same year, one in Spring from seed sown the preceding Autumn, and one ill Autumn from a Spring sowing, 'l'his explains n passage in the Bible, (Exodus, chapter Oth, and 3lst and 3*2 nd verses) where the effect of the hail is mentioned which desolated F.gypt, in consequence of the refusal of Pharaoh to let the children of Israel depart 11 'I he flax and the barley was smitten, for the barley teas in the ear, and the Ilax was boiled. But the wheat and the rye were not smitten : for they were not grown up." Commentators agree that this event happened in the 111011 th of IWarcftv the first crop of barley was therefore ond the flax (a plant of quite a different order from that of New Zealand) riuidy to pull: bnt the wheat and the rye sown in Spring were not yet sufficiently advanced i.i growth to be injured by the hail. Barley has, in various places, and from valious causes, been variously distinguished:— for example, from the lime of sowing, as Winter and Spring barley, or from the number of rows of groin 3 in the oafs, as six rowed, four rowed, and two rowed, or flat, barley. 111 'there colonics, again, it is known by the names of Cape Barley and Knglish Jinrlny. The first is very prolific, and is very beneficial, whether cut as green crop, or given in the grain to feed horses and cattle -.—but it has one great disadvantage ; it is difficult if not impossible, to malt it; —and, as malt is the principal ingredient used by the brewer in the manufacture of ale and potter, the Cape bailey never command* so high a price nor so ready a market as Knglish barley. Winter barley is mostly sown in Countries whore the winters are mild and the springs dry. In most climates, where the winters consists of alternate frosts and thaws, and the early ynrt of Spring is usually wet, as is the case in Great Britain, the young barley is too apt to sufier from these vicissitudes, and the Spring sown barley gives the more certain prospect of a good ciop ; but the grain of the (utter is seldom so heavy as that which has stood the winter. We cannot, from our own experience, speak of the season best suited to the sowing of barley in this quarter of New Zealand *, —we trust, however, that some of our practical farmers will oblige us with the result of their observations. In the meanwhile, as the nearest approximation, we may remaik, that, in Van Dicnien's I.and, we have invariably found the early Fown to be the safest and most productive. In Van Oiemen's Land, no sptcies of grain suffers so greatly from the ravages of the caterjillnr as barley. These destructive insects invade a barley field in cuuiitkss myriads, fastening u|.on the grain in every stage of its growth,—from tlie pcriou when first tlto green blade covers the ground, to that in wliicli tho tendril shoots into the full grown car. At the first period, the caterpillar may bo.successfully dealt with ; at least, we ourselves liave saved the produce of more tban one field by ft very simple plan, which was merely to watch for a gentle shower of rain, and, then, when the caterpillars were actively employed, to drive n roller over niul across tjie fields and so crush the destroyers at their woik. We arc aware of no means to arrest their progress when tho bloom is 011 the barley, :tnd they have taken to climb tho stal.c : then, the mischciious insect will ruin, with impunity, the farmer's hopes, cutting ofF the lieads of the grain as cleanly as if the operation had been performed with a knife, liie caterpillars move about in countless masses; a gentleman of Van Dicuieii's I.and, who watched them on the march, them as pushing forwards in a long continuous string, scrambling and tumbling aud twining over each other, as though they formed a living rope. Particular varieties of barley have been in great repute at different times. Within tho last eighteen years, ilie Chevalier barley, so called from the gentleman who first brought it into notice, has been an especial favourite. It is said that Mr. Chevalier having observed an car of barley in his field greatly superior to the rest, he carefully saved the seed, and cultivated it in his garden till lie had a sufficient ijantity to sow it in a field. It has since Ken extremely multiplied and diffused throughout the world. Some eminent maltsters and brewers have pronounced it to be the best adapted for their purposes, and many agriculturists assert that it is not only heavier in the grain but more productive than other descriptions. It is long in the ear ami very plump, and produces so many stems from one toot, that half a bushel may be saved per acre in seed. The straw, however is weak ill proportion to the ear : —it is said also to he harder, and not so palatable to eattle. All kinds of barley-require nearly the same isoii, and whether tlicy nre sown before winter or in spring, tlm ground must be well pre|>oi(.d, mid the soil pulverized by repeated

ploughings ami harrowiugs, in order that tlio fibres of (lie roots, which ore very minute and delicate, may penetrate the soil easily in search »f nourishment. In soils, barley is invariably sown after turnips. which have been fed off the land by sheep,* or been drawn to I'eed cattle in winter in the yards or stalls, who, by meant of im abundanuo of litter, make ii vast supply of manure ready for the next turnip crop. AV'hen the land has been properly prepared for turnips, and well manured, and the turnips luiva been carefully lined, to that no weeds of any kind remain, it is thou in the finest statu for barley as soon as the turnips are oil". Turnips require a well pu'veii/ed soil, arid so doss bnrley. If the *oil is very dry and light, the sheep folded upon it consolidate the surface by their treadinjr, and enrich it by their urine mid dun ;. As soon as a part of the fi'.ld is cleared and the hurdles removed, th» land is ploughed with a shallow furrow, and thus the sin ep mid the ploughs r.re often seen in the same field swcciml:h«; each other, lh.it no limn i:\iyba io-st i:i turning in and covering the dung which i.i verv volatile, and would ?"i.m loss mush of its (jualiiies by the action of the sun and ninds, This is su/lieieut preparation for the seed, which may now be sown or drilled without delay.

To enter, at any length, into the preparation of the various foils, and this means requisite lor the cultivation of barley, would be from the purpose of our present paper which merely aims at attracting native attention to the general outline of the subject, and the many benefits to be derived from the culture of a commodity of such essential value for home consumption, and of such ready disposal as a commercial export. In a future paper we may he. tempted tn outer more fully into detail respecting barley husbandry. At present, wo more particularly desire to show to what uses the grain is principally applied, in order tlint we may point another and an easy means wliereby our native rem I era may nequire a yet larger share of that money of whose utility they have so clear an understanding, and to obtain which tiny are so prompt to exert their industry. As food for man, barely :3 greatly inferior to wheat. In 110 shape can bread he made of it so palatable or so profitable as that manufactured from uheaten flour. The principal vfllue of barley to Great Britain is for the purposes of browing and distilling—that is, for the manufaclme of ale, porter, and spirituous liquors. Prom thr.ac aourccn nn onovmou*i amount of wealth is annually derived. You have yourselves seen, and ninny have, no doubt, tasted, English ale and porte/, which is sent in largo quantities to almost every country o( the world. To be applicable to this use of the brewer or distiller, the best and heaviest grain must he selected, niul cveiy care must be tiken that it is in a sound anil healthy condition, otherwise it will be unsaleable, except as Ibod for pig-, poultry, or other animals.

There arc many brewers in tli? neighbouring colonies ns well as in the dillbrcut parts of New Zealand. With such men barely is •.lire of a ready sale, and frequently at a higher price, ]:«• bushel, than wlie.it. You must also bear in mind that an aero of land will produce n good many more bushels of barley than what it will grow of wheat—and that bailey is of furlher advantage as an article of human (bod by being passed through a mill which strips it of the .skin, turning out an sit tic-la in demand /or domestic use. This at tide is called pot or pearl barley, anil is s:>ld at every giucei-'s shop. liarlcy, iu its green state, especially Capo bailey, makes excellent Spring i'ood foe milch cows : it comes in early, and greatly increases their inilU. It is also very good l'or horses, provided it be given to them sparingly at first, as it purges them ; but after a little time, when the rtornacli becomes accustomed to it, it increases their flesh and condition wonderfully, and is much more wholesome tluin the usual Spring physic, as it answers the purpo-'o ol gently clearing the intestines without risk ol irritation. For slicep it is very nourishing, and when fed oil'quite close, in the early Spring, will grow up again—and, upon good land, produce an excellent crop ol grain. •Such is barley—and such a few of the advantages to be gained by its culture. \V<; trust we have said sufficient to induce you to turn your thoughts towards the growth of an article which could not liiil to aggrandise you. Ponder our words !