208 FIELD CROPS 



the grain as possible from injury by bad weather. Long 

 shocks are somewhat preferable to round ones, as they allow 

 better circulation of air. After the grain is cured in the 

 shock, in ten daj^s or two weeks after cutting, it should be 

 stacked until threshing time. The harvesting of spring- 

 sown barley begins in Kansas and other states similarly 

 located about July 1, and is general in Wisconsin and Minne- 

 sota about August 1. 



255. Threshing. Threshing barley from the shock is a 

 risky method, for the grain is very likely to be injured by the 

 weather before it is threshed. When grain of the best quaUty 

 is wanted for market, it is advisable to stack and thresh the 

 cap bundles separate from the remainder of the crop. The 

 discolored grain in these bundles can then be used for feed 

 or can be sold by itself without injuring the market value of 

 the entire crop. In sections where there is no danger of 

 rain during the harvest season, threshing from the shock 

 is the common practice. Cracking the grain in the thresher 

 should be guarded against, as cracked kernels lower the mar- 

 ket value. Special care should be given to the work of 

 separation in threshing, so as to remove as much of the dirt 

 and weed seeds as possible. 



256. Storing the Grain. Damp, musty bins should be 

 avoided in storing barley, for odor and appearance are im- 

 portant factors in the market value of the grain. If the grain 

 is damp when threshed or becomes damp in the bin, it should 

 be shoveled over several times to dry it out. Where there 

 is danger of injurj^ from grain moths or other insects, tight 

 bins which can be fumigated should be provided. 



MARKETING AND RETURNS 



257. Marketing and Market Grades. A considerable 

 part, probably as much as two thirds, of the barley crop goes 

 to market. The market grades of this grain are based very 

 largely on color, uniformity, appearance, and odor, and on 



