330 Transactions. 



kiln for about eight hours. By this means the amount of 

 moisture is reduced. 



During the steeping stage the water is changed several 

 times, partly because the water dissolves a certain amount of 

 organic matter from the grain which would afford a supply of 

 food for the numerous bacterial organisms that adhere to the 

 barley, and also because the accompanying aeration due to the 

 draining of the barley greatly assists to bring about germina- 

 tion. 



The grain having been steeped — that is, sufficiently soaked 

 — it is now laid out upon the growing-floor. It is usual to com- 

 mence the process by what is known as " couching the malt ' : 

 for twelve or eighteen hours — that is, keeping it up to a depth 

 of 12 in. or 18 in. ; this allows the heat to accumulate, and starts 

 the act of germination more rapidly than would be the case 

 if the grain wore laid out in a shallow piece. 



After couching, the next process is flooring. The couch is 

 broken down, and the grain is laid evenly over the floor to the 

 depth of 3 in. or 4 in. The depth entirely depending upon the 

 temperature, naturally on a warm, muggy day the grain will be 

 spread thinner than on a cold day, and vice versa. 



In about twenty-four hours after the removal of the grain 

 from the cistern the rootlets begin to make an appearance in 

 the form of a white protrusion at one end of the barley-corn. 

 On the following day many of the corns will show from one to 

 three distinct rootlets, and on the third day nearly the whole 

 of the grain will have three or four roots. By the third day 

 the acrospire — that is, the stalk part of the germ — will begin 

 to move up the back of the corn. 



During all this time a respiratory process is proceeding — 

 that is, the corn is actually inhaling atmospheric oxygen and 

 exhaling carbon-dioxide, and any undue accumulation of this 

 latter gas either stops its growth or seriously impedes it ; pro- 

 vision has therefore to be made for removing the carbon-dioxide , 

 and supplying fresh oxygen. This necessary aeration is secured 

 by turning the malt. The turning is effected with broad flat 

 wooden shovels, and as each shovelful is thrown forward a 

 dexterous turn of the wrist scatters it thinly and evenly on 

 the floor in front. This turning usually takes place both 

 morning and evening. 



On the fifth or sixth day the roots will begin to probably 

 lose their fresh appearance, and become yellowish; this shows 

 that tin' piece is becoming deficient in moisture. It is there- 

 lore sprinkled with water from a long-spouted watering-can 

 made for this purpose. The amount of sprinkling-water used 

 is usually about half a gallon to the bushel, and the whole ol 



