Perhaps the most promising trial of the year was made
with barley. The barley was carried direct to the crop-drier, which fulfilled all the processes necessary for the grain. When it was threshed after some twenty-four hours in the drier, the grain had lost all unnecessary moisture and its germinat- ing quality was in no way impaired. Now Cheshire barley is not always appreciated by maltsters. Brewers will only take barley of very definite qualities (such as Norfolk barley pre-eminently contains) and they are willing to pay for this up to twice as much as less nutritious barley fetches for other purposes. This crop-dried barley from a Cheshire farm in a wet year was welcomed by the brewers, as were the oats by the keepers of hunters. As for wheat, Cheshire farmers in general hold that it must stand in the field for nine days before being carried. All this period of delay and danger was eliminated ; and any such future process as kiln-drying
becomes needless. * *
Previous page
