BARLEY. 275 



"An inferior grain of barley is elongated and is pointed at 

 both ends. It contains an embryo with a narrow scutellum 

 and an epithelial layer which is made up of short, broad cells." 



Composition as Compared with Wheat and Oat Grain. 



The fibre content is lower, but the nutritive value is less 

 than that of oats. 



Soil and Climatic Eequirements. — Barley requires a 

 comparatively rich, porous soil, and because of its somewhat 

 weak, shallow root system will often fail on a heavy soil which 

 might yield quite good wheat crops. Unlike rye, it will not 

 grow well on acid soils. It is fairly resistant to alkali, but 

 possesses poorer qualities of withstanding drought than wheat, 

 consequently in the Union it is seldom grown without irriga- 

 tion, excepting in the South- West Cape, where a winter rain- 

 fall obtains. 



Barley requires a cool growing season, with plenty of sun- 

 shine. 



Cultural Methods.— These differ very little from those 

 employed for wheat cultivation. Drilling is preferable to 

 broadcasting. The seed should be sown at the rate of 50 to 

 60 pounds per acre on dry lands, and 60 to 90 pounds on irri- 

 gated land. For grain, early varieties should be sown in April 

 and May, and late varieties from the end of March to the end 

 of April. For soiling, late varieties should be used, and may 

 be planted in February and March so that advantage may be 

 taken of the late summer rains, and, moreover, so that green 

 feeding is provided during the dry winter months. 



Eotations.— (1) Under Irrigation in Orange Free State 

 and T rails vaal — 



1st Year. — Summer crop — Potatoes, fertilised with 

 kraal manure and bonedust. 

 Winter crop — Barley. 



