BARLEY. 59 



yet of long enough duration for the perfection of 

 barley. It is the latest sown, and the earliest reaped 

 of all the summer grains. In warm countries, such 

 as Spain, the farmers can gather two harvests of 

 barley within the year, one in the spring from winter- 

 sown grain, and the other in autumn from that sown 

 in summer. Barley sown in June is commonly ready 

 for the sickle in three months from the time of the seed 

 being committed to the ground ; and in very northern 

 climates the period necessary for its growth and per- 

 fection is said to be of still shorter duration. Lin- 

 na3us relates, in his tour in Lulean Lapland, that on 

 the 28th of July he observed the commencement of 

 the barley harvest, and although the seed was sown 

 only a few days before Midsummer, that the grain 

 was perfectly ripe, the whole process having thus oc- 

 cupied certainly not longer than six weeks. 



The property of not requiring moisture admirably 

 fits barley for propagation in those northern countries 

 where the duration of summer is limited to a very 

 few months in the year, and where wet is of very 

 rare occurrence from the time when the spring rains 

 are over, at the end of May or the beginning of June 

 after which period the seed-time commences 

 until the autumnal equinox, previous to which the har- 

 vest is reaped. 



So hurtful is excessive moisture to the plants, that 

 even heavy dews, if of frequent occurrence, are found 

 injurious. Wet is detrimental at all periods ; but 

 the mischief is exhibited in a very different manner, 

 according as it occurs before or after the formation 

 of the ear. If during the former stage, the leaves, as 

 already mentioned, will become yellow and sickly, and 

 the ears will probably not make their appearance ; 

 whereas if these should already have been formed 

 and completely filled when visited by rain, the grain 



