72 



agreement in all other respects. This shows how important a factor 

 climate and care in harvesting and handling are in enhancing or de- 

 preciating the value of the grain. The latter factor, care, is almost en- 

 tirely within the control of the farmer, while varying seasons, of course, 

 influence the former. Of the different districts that north of Lake Erie 

 produces the specimens richest in nitrogen, which would therefore be 

 graded lowest as far as this influences our judgment, thus agreeing with 

 current opinion. In mealiness these specimens are much ahead of all 

 the others, and this ought to more than balance the slightly higher per- 

 centage of albuminoids. The summer rains, however, by coloring the 

 grain have the greatest influence in determining quality, and event- 

 ually make the barley of this district the least desirable. The remain- 

 ing districts, north of Ontario, produce grain much alike, that from the 

 B district averaging heavier in weight per bushel, and that from D be- 

 ing a little less nitrogenous. As a whole these Canadian barleys cer- 

 tainly form a very good standard of reference. 



BARLEYS OF THE UNITED STATES. 



In comparing the barleys of the United States with those of Canada, 

 it appears at once that, as a whole, the former average about as mealy in 

 consistency as the latter. Examined by distribution geographically, the 

 Eastern grain is found to be much less mealy than the Western, that of 

 the Northwest being the richest in mealy kernels. Again, however, we 

 find that but two out of sixty -four samples contained 80 per cent, or 

 over of mealy or half-mealy kernels. In weight per bushel there is no 

 variation from Canadian and foreign grain, but in size the barleys of the 

 United States, as a whole, are larger than those of Canada. Unfortu- 

 nately we have no data for those of foreign production. The Eastern 

 grain is no larger than the Canadian, and the average is increased by 

 the large size of that from the Northwest and the Pacific Slope, which 

 at the same time has an increased weight per bushel. 



In brightness, the samples from those portions of the country having 

 a dry climate at harvest time, especially the Pacific Slope and the North- 

 west, were far superior. This is an important feature in considering the 

 best areas for the production of good malting barley ; and while Cali- 

 fornia as yet furnishes almost nothing for brewing purposes, it would 

 seem to be one of our best fields. The high percentage of albuminoids 

 stored up in the peculiar climate of the Northwest, while an advantage 

 in the wheat grain, would be a serfous objection in barley. In this 

 respect it appears that the average amount of albuminoids in the barley 

 of the United States is greater than that of Canada, and far ahead of 

 anything which Maercker would consider desirable. California alone 

 is 1 per cent, below the average for the rest of the country, there being 



