Page:Gazetteer of the province of Oudh ... (IA cu31924073057352).pdf/86

78 PAR 31 21 These figures, calculating the maund at 82-241bs., represent- For menured land ... 39.37 bushels. urmanurid ditto 16.79 > unirrigated khadir' ditto 18.98 The average on the three kinds of land being thus 19.71 bushels, and this is believed to be a very fair average for the district. Reference to English standard.— In bis Farmer's Encyclopædia, Johnson has the following regarding the produce of wheat :- "The fair produce of wheat varies so much upon different kinds of land, and is so much governed by climate and mode of cultivation, that it is diffi- cult to form any acreable estimate of the amount on soils of average quality in ordinary seasons, and under the common course of management: it may, however, be fairly calculated at three quarters or perhaps twenty- eight bushels per imperial acre. To produce the latter quantity, circum- stances must however be favourable, and anything beyond that may be considered large, though on some land four to five quarters are not unusual. The weight may average 60lbs. per bushel . The straw is gene- rally reckoned to be about double the weight of the grain; an acre produc- ing three quarters of wheat of the ordinary quality may therefore be pre- sumed to yield about twenty-six cwt." Making due allowance therefore for the two important conditions, " climate and mode of cultivation," an outtum of 1971 bushels per acre, over an extensive wheat growing district, is not at all a bad one. Barley-Barley is of all grains the most extensively cultivated in this district. The soil is eminently adapted to it, and so would appear to be the climate also; for regarding this cereal the same writer, whom I have above quoted, records that "barley is a tender plant, and easily hurt in any stage of its growth. It is more bazardous than wheat, and is gene- rally speaking raised at a greater expense, so that its cultivation should not be attempted, except where the soil and climate are favourable for its growth.". Again, in another place the writer goes on to say. “The land that produces the best barley is generally of a silicious, light, dry nature. Cold wet soils, which are peculiarly retentive of water, are ill adapted to the growth of this grain, both in reference to its weight and its malting qualities. The whole matter of barley and its straw contains more sili- cious particles than that of any other grain cultivated by the British farmer; and hence one reason why a sandy soil is most congenial to the growth of this plant." Certainly in this part of India barley does not appear to be a tender plant; nor does it require greater expense in its cultivation than wheat. For while the latter demands a rich soil, con- stant moisture, and in the up lands and other dry localities at least two waterings, barley thrives best on land but slightly manured, and will suffer but little, if it does not get more than one watering. Produce of barley.—The average yield per acre of barley may be safely sct down at sixteen maunds per acre, which, assuming the bushel of barley