

BARLEY 23 



divested of the outer covering of the grain ; it has also been 

 polished and rounded. Patent barley is the meal obtained by 

 grinding pearl barley to powder ; it corresponds to the flour 

 from which white bread is made. 



Barley is much less nutritious than wheat, and though 

 it is largely used to feed stock, its chief use is for the prepara- 

 tion of malt, which is obtained by steeping barley in water 

 until it begins to grow and then drying it in a kiln. Beer 

 is a decoction of malt and hops. Whisky is a spirit distilled 

 from barley. 



SOURCES OF SUPPLY. Barley can be grown on lighter soils 

 than wheat, and it requires less heat to ripen it ; consequently, 

 even when the summers in the east of England are too cool 

 for successful wheat-growing, good crops of barley can be 

 obtained ; nevertheless, it is a less important crop in England 

 than either wheat or oats. In Scotland and Ireland the 

 contrary is the case, more land being under barley than under 

 wheat. The variety chiefly grown in Scotland is that known 

 as bere ; in this kind the two spikelets which are usually 

 barren are developed. 



In the higher parts of British India barley is grown as 

 a winter crop. 



All the provinces of Canada grow barley, but Manitoba 

 produces most, and Ontario stands second. Though a large 

 proportion of the crop is used for feeding stock, a very con- 

 siderable amount remains over for export. 



In Australia the states of Victoria and South Australia are 

 the leading barley states. 



SUMMARY. We are able in Britain to produce 60 per cent, 

 of our requirements. 



Of our imports from empire sources British India and Canada 

 supply us with the largest amount, Cyprus and Australia 

 following next in order. 



Of foreign countries Russia, the United States, Turkey, and 

 Roumania send us the largest supplies. 



