274 CHAPTER XVI 



of protein varies somewhat with cUmate and soils, being higher 

 under semi-arid than under humid conditions, and when the 

 nitrogen content of the soil is high. In a good malting barley 

 the protein content should be low and the carbohydrates high. 

 Good samples for this purpose contain 62 to 64 per cent, starch, 

 and protem 9 to 13 per cent. The protein content of barley 

 seed varies from 6^ to 17 per cent. 



The per cent, hull is usually considered under this point. 

 If the gram is plump the hull is usually thin, particularly when 

 wrinkled across the back, and when two strong veins are 

 absent. For malting, hulled types are preferred to hulless 

 types. 



(3) Soundness. — There should be no sign of disease, damp- 

 ness or broken kernels. 



(4) Freedom from Foreign Matter and Seeds. — Dirt and 

 weed seeds must be looked for and the sample discounted 

 accordingly. 



(5) Brightness of Colour. — A bright appearance is the chief 

 superficial indication of good viability. For brewing purposes 

 at least 99 per cent, of the seeds should be viable, but, more- 

 over, the germination must be even and sufficiently vigorous to 

 show a germination of at least 95 per cent, in 72 hours. If at 

 all weathered or imperfectly matured, the germination will be 

 erratic and the value from a malting standpoint much reduced. 



(6) Weight per Bushel. — Well matured, plump barley 

 should weigh 48 pounds to the bushel. 



(7) Purity of Variety. — Seeds of other varieties are indi- 

 cated by difference in colour of the hull and caryopsis, shape 

 and size. For seeding purposes, greater stress must be laid on 

 this point than for malting ; however, a mixture of types is 

 unlikely to be uniform in germination. 



Malting barley should not be closely threshed, i.e., to give 

 seeds with exposed caryopses. If well threshed a fair number 

 of the grains w^ill be found to have a short portion of the awn 

 adhering. 



An ideal malting grain of barley is one possessing a 

 relatively short longitudinal and a correspondingly long trans- 

 verse diameter, with both the distal and proximal ends broadly 

 oval. It contains an embryo, with a large scutellum reaching 

 over the edges of the endosperm, and an epithelial layer com- 

 posed of long narrow cells. 



