The Hillsborough Recorder

AGRICULTURAL.
Method of cultivating Barley.
Steep the seed in well or spring water for twelve hours, stirring it frequently from the bottom of the tub or vessel all around: and previous to each stirring, all the floating grains, seed weeds, &c. should be carefully skimmed off; till nothing will remain for seed but sound and perfect grain. The first water should be drawn off at the end of six hours, and immediately replaced by fresh; this again draw off at the end of six hours more: it should be sown, broadcast, the following day, being mixed with a sufficient quantity of wood ashes or plaster, to dry it as much as will be necessary for the purpose of sowing.
Thus managed, if the ground be in proper tilth, and fitly prepared, this grain will make its appearance the fifth or sixth day after sowing; whereas if the seed be sown dry, it will probably be three weeks or more before it comes up particularly if the season be dry. I cannot more forcibly recommend this practice than by giving a brief sketch of an experiment made in England, and taken from the Bath and West of England society's prizes. A farmer selected four acres of the same field, treated and prepared it for seeding exactly in the same way, he then divided it into two equal parts; he sowed one part with dry seed, in the common way, the other with steeped seed, as here recommended, and the consequence was, that the latter produced a double crop, although the seed in both cases was the same, save the difference of treatment. The superior quality and condition of the crop seemed to keep pace with the increased quantity.
Conn. Cour.