THE MAORI MESSENGER. Auckland, March 24, 1853.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume V, Issue 111, 24 March 1853, Page 2

THE MAORI MESSENGER. Auckland, March 24, 1853.

Having occupied a considerable portion of our last number in adducing arguments for a more extended culture of that comparatively neglected grain—Oats: we now proceed lo offer a few observations with respect to the benefits likely to accrue lo the native farmer by directing his attention to a larger growth of barley. Ere we enter upon this new branch of husbandry, wc must take the present opportunity to solicit attention to one item of the cargo of the barque " Daniel "Webster," which sailed for Sydney on the 10th inst. If reference be bad to our Shipping List, it will be seen that of a large cargo of New Zealand produce, Oats formed a very materia l

portion —110 less tluin 5,400 bushels having j born exported in single ship. Should Oals t-lianco 10 bran the same price in ilio Svdncv as, according lo the latest inlelligeiicc, ilioy (till i» Ibe Melbourne market, J this shipment of Oals will bring more money ' lo their owner than twice the quantity of, wheat would do Surely this is encourage- j nient to the native farmer lo make Oals a j more extensive product of bis fields? liar- j lev, likewise, is an article in much dcm.Ud; , and as no husbandry, worthy to lie called systematic, can be followed onl without observing a dne rotaiion of crops, we cannot donbl that the native farmers will be anxious to maintain their lands in as perfect order, l£nri to secure as rich and plentiful harvests as their European competitors. j Barley isa much hardier {train than w heal. There an; many varieties cultivated in Great Britain ; but the two-rowed and ihe fourrowed is that which is most extensively grown. In the Australian Colonies, although the varieties are perfectly understood, and frequently culltvated, yet they are generally divided into two classes. Cape Bai ley, and English Barley. The former is almost invariably sow n either for the purpose of being cut green for food for cattle, or else reaped for the purpose of being used as horse-corn. . When cut green, lares, or vetches, are usually sown along with it, as each are calculated to sustain the other whilst growing and render the food more thick and succulent when cut. : English Barley, which is two-rowed is ( almost invariably sown with a view to being | sold to the brewer and thedisiiller, by whom j it is first, by sleeping in walerand afterwards j drying in a kiln, converted to an article of commerce called malt. I'ioin this mall, ale and porlnr are manufactured; and to the enormous production of these two liquors, which are sent in vast quantities to every quarter of Ihe globe, England owes much of her maritime and commercial prosperity.

Barley, in its culture, rrquires a clean, rich mellow lo:uti. moderatelyretentive. 11l the roinlion of crops, barley very frequently fallows wheat. In that case the lanil should be well wrought, anil, if possible.' ploughed three times. Tim usual rolalion for barley, however, is to sow it after turnips. If sheep have been folded on Hie land, and llie turnips eaten off so much the belter, as the land will be in capital condition to yield a heavy crop. Barley may also be sown, and with much advantage, sifter potatoes. When turnips have been eaten off, llie ground will be much trodden down by the sheep; two ploiighings will therefore be requisite; and great core must be taken to thoroughly pulTcrizc the soil. When lands are intended to bo laid down in grass, the grass seeds are frequently sown along with the barley. When this is done, the land should be carefully harrowed and rolled. Early sowing is the best for barley, that is to say during the first of the Spring season. It is sown both in drills and broad cast, and requires about three bushels of seed, on an average, to an acre. If barley be fed ofT early, the roots, in a ■ •-Vfri.il will shoot out abundance of fresh •'"stems, and produce a good crop of grain at harvest. In Van Diemeii's Land, barley has been found to be particularly subject to the periodical ravages of countless myriads of caterpillars. These mischievous creatures travel in immense numbers; and should their visitations occur when the barley is in ear the hope of saving the crop is small indeed, 'shire they climb the stem of the grain, and cut off the ears ill i marvellously short period. If they make their appearance at an curly stage, advantage should be taken to oil the field during a shower when they

will come out of llieir holes and be crushed to pieces. '•Of all llic cultivated grains, (says an intelligent English writer) barley is perhaps lint which comes to perfection in the greatest variety of climates, and is consequently found over the greatest extent of the habitable world. It bears the heat and drought of tropical regions, and ripens in the short summers of those which verge on the frigid /one. In genial climates, such as Egypt, liorbary, and the S„ulh of Spain, two crops of barley may be reaped in the same year, one in Spring from seed sown the preceding Autnmn, and one in Autumn from a Spring sowing. "As soon (says the same writer) as the ears of ihe barley begin to droop and lose their purple hue, acquiring a bright straw colour, before the grain is quite lnrd, il should hi; reaped. This is usually done by mowing il with a scythe, having a hoop, or an appendage called a cradle fixed to il, so as lo lay the swathe regularly: but where there is a sufficient supply of labourers, at reasonable wages, it is far more profitable to have il reaped with a sickle, binding into sheaves is a great advantage, much less corn is shed, which, in the common method of raking into heaps, often amounts lo more than would fully sow the same extentof land. The sheaves set upon end are in less danger from Ihe weather, and, when the slack is built, all the ears may he laid inward and much grain saved, which, if on the outside, would soon be the prey of birds: smaller slacks may be made, and the danger of heating entirely avoided. In purchasing bailey for mall, the best and heaviest grain is chosen, and as it must have its germinating power unimpaired, the least discoloration from rain, or heating iu the stark, renders it suspecled, and consequently not so saleable. Il is. however, still (il for being ground into meal, for fee ling cattle and pigs, when it is not used for human fuoil; or il may be made into pot barley by the process of shelling. "The produce of barley on land well prepared is from thirty (o fifty bushels an acre and more, and weighs from -iiS to ;>3 lbs. per bushel, according lo quality." Harley, in the neighbouring colonies, lias almost invariably been an article in demand, and steady in its price of sale; being commonly easily lo be disposed of when wheal has hung heavy on hand. We have known il, year after year, if of good malting quality, commandos, lo 7s. perhushel of 18 lbs. : and that, too, when wheat of (10 lbs. per bushel was dull of sale at live shillings. We cauuol. therefore, lint feel firmly persuaded that the native; farmers will do well to cultivate good malting barley much more largely than ihcv have hilherto been in the practice of doing.