176 



BARLEY 



twelve States to have as high a percentage of the oat crops, and 

 fourteen States for the wheat and corn crops. Following is the 

 average yield for five years, 190G 1910, in the principal States: 



Yields of Barley by States 



State Bushels 



California 33,782,600 



Minnesota 29,807,800 



South Dakota 21.238.400 



Wisconsin 19,708,200 



North Dakota 15,189,200 



Barley in common with other cereals has shown a remarkahle 

 shift from the eastern to the western States (Fig. 61). For ex- 



FIG. 61. Distribution of barley production in United States. (From U. S. Census of 1910.) 



ample, in 1850 New York State was the leading barley State, pro- 

 ducing at that time 70 per cent of all the barley ; in 1870 it produced 

 25 per cent; and in 1900 only 2.5 per cent. 



As barley is grown principally for stock feed or market, it comes 

 in more direct competition with the corn crop than any other cereal. 

 It can not compete as a crop with corn in the corn belt, so we find it 

 principally in the grain-growing States just out of the corn belt. In 

 California, barley has been an important grain crop from the first^ 

 as little or no corn can be produced in that State. 



