Bennett's of Ballinacurra Descriptive List (Ref. B609)

B609/

B609/1/A/12 Letters from AGS, 1 January 1929 to 1 September 1929. A letter of 28 May presents results obtained in experimental maltings from barley representative of that received by JHB from AGS. A letter of 1 May from A Jackson, brewer-in-charge, is directed to Miss NcNeill, regarding her malt analyses at JHB. A letter of 23 March estimates the quantity of barley required by JHB to complete its steepings for this season. A letter of 7 March refers to Spratt-Archer 37/6 as ‘the standard variety recommended by the Department of Agriculture for cultivation in Ireland’. A letter of 4 March concerns supply of barley to JHB by Mr Roche of Enniscorthy [who operates an AGS commission house there]. B609/1/A/13 Letters from AGS, 1 September 1929 to 31 August 1930. A letter of 25 July 1930 regarding the road census of crops states ‘a further heavy decrease of barley acreage in your area is rather a blow’. A letter of 22 May concerns purchase of Pontyberem coal for JHB, as preferred by that company, despite its costing 12s 6d a tonne more than scotch coal. In a letter of 14 April, A Jackson promises to ask about spare barley from the Wexford houses, but adds ‘the Cork farmers did not do so well by us last season, so there is really no reason we should go to much trouble on their behalf’. A letter of 31 March encloses a report on malting in bags at JHB’s Charleston malting house. A letter of 7 February approves the sending of a small quantity of seed as requested by the Yorkshire Council for Agricultural Education. A letter of 30 January concerns the distinction between the seed barley which Mr Bennett holds ‘in your capacity as a commission maltster and what you hold as an official of the Department of Agriculture’ [Bennett operated the Cereal Station at Ballinacurra as an official of the Department]. A letter of 25 January includes experimental maltings results obtained from Thurles and Rathdowney barleys, and also gives Birr and Cork results. A form of 8 January notes barrels received and delivered by JHB for the 1929-30 season, for audit purposes. A letter of 20 December 1929 relates to a visit to the Guinness laboratory by Miss McNeill ‘to perfect herself in malt analysis’. A letter of 14 November discusses reduction of smut infection; a recurring subject. Treatment of barley with the product ‘Abavit’ is one approach used. subject]. Present is a report [May 1931] entitled ‘Seed barley owned by Messrs Guinness, nominally controlled by the Department at Charleston Maltings’. A letter of 19 March is accompanied by a report of ‘Rainfall, mean temperature, and hours of bright sunshine at Ballinacurra, Co Cork. August 1930 to February 1931’. A letter of 5 March encloses a draft of a letter to be sent to two farmers outlining the scheme for distribution of pedigree barley. A letter of 6 February concerns the possibility of supplying barley to a maltster in Northern Ireland; that is, outside the Free State. A January 1931 letter concerns treatment of seed barley at Charleston with ‘Abavit’, to reduce smut. A letter of 5 November 1930 relates to the writing off of some barrels owing to defaulting by some farmers [on their contracts with JHB]. A letter of 27 October contains a copy of a label for barley samples B609/1/A/14 Letters from AGS, 1 September 1930 to 31 August 1931. A letter of 30 July 1931 concerns the annual visit to Ballinacurra by AGS Malt Department officials, as part of their annual Barley Tour [a recurring