Naturalisation in Extra- Tropical Countries. 233 



Hordeum hexastichon, Linne.* 



Orient. The regular Six-rowed Barley. In cultivation already 

 during the stone-age [,Heer], also already in ancient Egypt 

 [Schweinfurth]. This includes among other varieties the Bed, 

 the Scotch, the Square- and the Bear-barley. Seeds less uniform 

 in size than those of H. distichon. The so-called skinless variety 

 is that, in which the grain separates from the bracts. Langethal 

 observes, that it is most easily raised, requires less seed-grain than 

 ordinary barley, has firmer stems, is less subject to the rust-disease 

 and to bending down. 



Hordeum secalinum, Schreber.* (H. nodosum, Smith ; H. pratense, 

 Hudson.) 



Europe, Northern and Middle Asia, North-America. Perennial. 

 Famed as the best fattening grass of many of the somewhat brackish 

 marsh-pastures on the North- Sea. It never fruits, when kept down 

 by cattle, and finally suppresses nearly all other grasses and weeds. 



Hordeum vulgrare, Linne.* 



Orient. The Four-rowed Barley, though rather six-rowed with 

 two prominent rows. Of less antiquity than H. distichon and H. 

 hexastichon. Had the Alexandrian Library not been burnt, the 

 exact origin of the various kinds of Barley, with that of many other 

 leading culture-plants, would have been on reliable record. Barley 

 can, by proper choice of season, even be grown in Central- Australia. 

 The cultivation of this cereal extends further northward and south - 

 word than that of wheat, oats and rye in the northern hemisphere, 

 because it comes to maturity quickly enough to avoid the high 

 temperature and also any dry ness of the hot clime, as well as the 

 low temperature of the autumns of the cold zone. Thus, hardy 

 varieties still succeed even in the Faroe-Islands. Several varieties 

 occur, among them : the Spring- and Winter-barley, Black barley, 

 the Russian, the French, the Naked and the Wheat-barley. Pearl- 

 barley is obtained from the winter- variety, which also surpasses 

 Summer-barley in rigor of stems and rich and early yield, it being 

 the earliest cereal in the season ; the straw is copious and nutri- 

 tious, and the grain is rich in gluten, hence far better adapted for 

 flour than for malt. Summer-barley also passes under the name 

 of Sand-barley. It is inferior in yield to H. distichon, but is con- 

 tent with a less fertile, even sandy soil, and comes to ripeness in a 

 month's less time. In alpine regions it ripens with a summer of 

 sixty or seventy days without frost. In Norway it can be grown 

 to lat. 70 [Schuebeler]. The Naked barley is superior to many 

 other varieties for peeled barley, but inferior for brewing; the 

 grain is also apt to drop [Langethal]. Malt is important as an 

 antiscorbutic remedy. Chemical principles of malt : asparagin, a 

 protein substance, diastase, an acid and cholesterin-fat. Maltine 

 is a therapeutic extract* 



