ARID AGRICULTURE. 



175 



THE 



BEARDLESS 



BREWING 



BARLEY 



BARLEY 

 CULTURE 



There are two forms of beardless brewing 

 Inirlcv. One is a small two-row barley not yet 

 in general cultivation and the value of which has 

 not been determined. The other is a larger six- 

 row barley which, under good conditions, pro- 

 duces excellent growth of straw and large, well- 

 filled heads. This is one of the most important 

 feed grains the western farmer can produce, 

 whether he dry farms or irrigates his land. The 

 straw is soft, sweet and nutritious. The grain 

 can be cut in the dough stage and fed to stock in 

 the bundle without threshing. There are no 

 beards, and stock fed a ration of this barley in 

 the straw, and alfalfa, seem to thrive and fatten 

 remarkably well. The objection to this barley 

 is that of the other beardless sorts. The heads 

 become brittle and break off or shatter in hand- 

 ling when it gets too ripe. 



Many complain that they do not get as good 

 ciM]> of barley as they have a right to expect. 

 This is generally because they do not follow the 

 correct method of culture. Barley needs a large 

 amount of moisture in the early part of its 

 growth. It needs a goodly supply of available 

 nitrogen in the soil. If these things are absent 

 the barley injures very quickly. Its tendency, 

 when injured by drouth or lack of plant food is 

 to make very short straw and small, poorlj -filled 

 heads. Barley does not show its injury by 

 drouth as do other grains by burning and shrivel- 



