. 71 



Average composition of American barleys (unliulled), arranged by States. 



DISCUSSION OF THE DATA AND AVERAGES. 



As Canadian barley forms the greater portion of our supply, it will be 

 considered first, and that of the United States compared with it. 



Maercker found that the finest grain contained not more than 8 per 

 cent, of albuminoids and consisted of at least 80 per cent, of mealy ker- 

 nels. These two factors, together with the brightness of the grain, he 

 considered to be the characteristics by which itsqnality should be judged. 



Of the twelve typical specimens of last year's Canadian crop none 

 were below 9 per cent, of albuminoids, the average being 9.83, and only 

 six contained 60 per cent, of kernels which were mealy or half mealy 

 in structure. They cannot be said therefore to be equal to what are 

 considered extremely fine barley in Germany. They do, however, reach 

 and in most cases exceed the average production of foreign coun- 

 tries, and may be considered as of extremely good quality for samples 

 from actual trade lots, and better than those produced the world over, 

 as may be seen by comparison with the investigations which have been 

 quoted on previous pages. In weight per bushel they are about the 

 same as the average of Maercker, and in moisture, as with all our grain, 

 much drier than the product of damper climates. 



The differences in the different grades are marked almost entirely by 

 brightness and perfection of the kernel, there being a remarkably clos 



