B ABLET OAT EYE. 333 



veil were of Barley. In the time of the famine of Samaria 

 Elisha is commissioned to promise the miraculous plenty of 

 " a measure of fine flour for a shekel, and two measures of 

 Barley for a shekel." Barley bread is still the regular food of 

 vast numbers of the continental poor; but with us its chief 

 use is for malt. Fowls thrive best when fed with Barley ; and 

 Pearl Barley, a preparation of the grain with the skin and part 

 of the seed ground off, is valuable for making barley-water and 

 for puddings. The Barley-grasses are plants of no account. 



The Wall Barley (H. murinum, fig. 13), is common in waste 

 places ; its rough leaves, fringed glumes, and bristly spike 

 readily distinguish it. 



The Meadow Barley has shorter awns, but in other respects 

 closely resembles the Wall Barley ; and the Sea Barley is only 

 distinguished by its glaucous foliage. 



The Oat family (Avena), are characterised by their loose 

 panicle and large flowers, and by the strong twisted awn with 

 which one of their palese is armed. 



There is a foreign species called the Animal Oat, the parts of 

 which are so curiously affected by the atmosphere, that when 

 the spikelets are placed on the hand or on the ground they 

 curl, and twist, and leap about as if they were endowed with 

 life. 



The Oat-grasses we have examined, so only the cereal Oat 

 remains to be discussed (A. sativa). This grain is the easiest 

 of cultivation, it will grow upon any kind of land; the best 

 samples are produced in Scotland and Friesland. Oatmeal is 

 used by the poor to a great extent in Scotland, Ireland, and 

 the north of England, both for making porridge and for oat- 

 cakes. In Switzerland they bake the oatmeal, and then boil it 

 in broth. Oats are exceedingly valuable as food for horses. 



The Eye family (Secale), have naked seeds on a flat ear 

 furnished with awns, something like Barley. The straw is 

 solid, being filled with pith, which makes it valuable for 

 thatching as well as for litter. It grows on poor lands which 



