hem. But as the Squire has asked the
question, and as he has selected from Mr. Lawes' results, the year 1860,
I will meet him on his own ground. He has selected a season specially
unfavorable for the growth of barley. Now, in such an unfavorable year
in this country, barley would be likely to bring, at least, $1.25 per
bushel, and in a favorable season not over 75 cents a bushel.

Mr. Lawes keeps his land _clean_, which is more than can be said of many
barley-growers. And in this unfavorable season of 1860, he gets on his
three unmanured plots an average of 730 lbs. of barley, equal to 15-1/4
bushels per acre, and not quite 800 lbs. of straw.

Many of our farmers frequently do no better than this. And you must
recollect that in such careful experiments as those of Mr. Lawes and Dr.
Gilbert, great pains would be taken to get all the barley that grew on
the land. With us, barley is cut with a reaper, and admirable as our
machines are, it is not an easy matter to cut a light, spindling crop of
barley perfectly clean. Then, in pitching the crop and drawing it in,
more or less barley is scattered, and even after we have been over the
field two or three times with a steel-tooth rake, there is still
considerable barley left on the ground. I think we may safely assume
that at least as much barley is left on the ground as we usually
sow--say two bushels per acre. And so, instead of having 15-1/4 bushels
per acre, as Mr. Lawes had, we should only harvest 13-1/4 bushels.

Of all our ordinary farm crops, barley is attended with the least labor
and expense. We usually sow it after corn or potatoes. On such strong
land as that of Mr. Lawes, we ought to plow the land in the autumn and
again in the spring, or at least stir up the land thoroughly with a two
or three-horse cultivator or gang-plow.

Let us say that the cost of plowing, harrowing, drilling, and rolling,
is $5.00 per acre. Seed, $2.00. Harvesting, $2.00. Threshing, 6 cents a
bushel.

Receipts:

13-1/4 bushels barley @ 1.25 $16.57
800 lbs. of straw @ $4. per ton 1.60
------
Putting in and harvesting the crop $9.00
Threshing 13-1/4 bushels @ 6c .80 9.80
------
Rent and profit per acre $ 8.37

"That is a better showing than I expected," said the Squire, "and as
barley occupies the land only a few months, an