QUALITY IN BARLEY 185 



should all germinate quickly and uniformly at least 95 per cent 

 germination in 72 hours. 



To secure this quality the barley should: (1) ripen uniformly 

 in all parts of the field, as green and ripe harvested barley will not 

 germinate alike; (2) the barley should be well ripened; (3) should 

 be well protected from weather after harvest, as continued dampness, 

 in a wet bundle, for even one or two days, will start germinating 

 process. If a part of the grain be exposed, as the cap sheaves for 



FIG. 70. Comparison of spikelets of six-row (three at a node) and two-row{one at a node, 

 and two sterile) barleys. 



example, and the rest be well protected, the grain will no longer be 

 uniform in quality. 



2. Color is an indication of germinating quality. A natural 

 bright straw color is desired, but if any considerable percentage of 

 grains are blackened or darkened, it indicates exposure in the field. 

 Overheating in the stack is indicated by a dark-brown color at the 

 germ end, due probably to oil coming from the germ. 



3. Per Cent of Hull. In barleys the per cent of hull varies from 

 eight to twenty per cent, with twelve or fifteen per cent as an average. 



