30 STUDIES OF AMERICAN BARLEYS AND MALTS. 



The barleys analyzed comprise 84 samples of the 6-row varieties 

 of Oderbrucker and Manchuria, 18 samples of 2-row varieties, 18 

 samples of thick-skin, so-called " Bay Brewing " barleys, and 9 sam- 

 ples of the thin-skin Utah Winter. From many of these samples 

 malts, which were likewise subjected to critical analyses, were pre- 

 pared in malting plants on a commercial scale. Realizing that chem- 

 ical and physical methods must both be used in the attempt to solve 

 such questions as are involved in the improvement of American bar- 

 le} 7 s, it has been found advisable to make the following determinations 

 on all the barley samples: Water, total nitrogen, soluble nitrogen, 

 coagulable nitrogen, extract, fat, fiber, pentosans, starch, sugars, ash, 

 phosphoric acid, sulphur, lecithins, weight per 1,000 grains, weight 

 per bushel, character of the endosperm before and after steeping, 

 degree of solubility, germinating energy and capacit} 7 , amount of 

 husks, bran, endosperm, and embryo. The chemical work, however, 

 is given special prominence in this study, for purely physical analyses 

 alone are not enough to determine the value of barley. 



The malt samples were subjected to the following analyses : Water, 

 total nitrogen, soluble nitrogen, coagulable nitrogen, extract (fine 

 and coarse grist), fat, fiber, pentosans, starch, sugars, ash, phosphoric 

 acid, sulphur, lecithins, weight per 1,000 grains, weight per bushel, 

 character of the endosperm, the growth and overgrowth of acrospire, 

 the amount of husk, bran, embryo, and endosperm. It was hoped, 

 from all these determinations, that a better insight as to the changes 

 going on during the process of malting would be gained, and that a 

 guide for future work might be obtained. 



CHEMICAL METHODS OF ANALYSIS. 



The chemical methods of analysis employed in the Bureau of 

 Chemistry were, unless otherwise described, the official methods 

 adopted by the Association of Official Agricultural Chemists. The 

 exceptions were as follows : 



Total sulphur was determined according to the sodium peroxid 

 method. 



The lecithin determination was made by extracting 10 grains of 

 ground barley or malt with ether, and then extracting the residue re- 

 peatedly with absolute alcohol. The ether and alcohol extracts were 

 united, all volatile substances evaporated, and the residue burned with 

 caustic soda to an ash. The ash was then treated in the usual way for 

 phosphoric acid. The amount of phosphoric acid multiplied by 11.37 

 gives the lecithin content. It is well known that alcohol will extract 

 other phosphorous bodies besides lecithin proper for example, 

 kephalin; these figures, therefore, include all the lecithin-like bodies 

 soluble in alcohol and ether. 



Le Clerc and Dubois, J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 1906, 28 : 1108. 



