Book VI. 



BARLEY. 



823 



5081. Species and varieties. (Jig. 726.) There are six species and subspecies of 

 this grain in cultivation besides varieties. These are, 



1. Hi5rdeum vulgkre. Spring barley (a). 



2. coel^sto, Siberian barley, 



3. hexistichon. Winter barley (i). 



4. Hdrdeum cUstichon, Common or long-eared barley (c). 



5. dfstichon niidum, Naked tiarlev. 

 6. 



Zeocriton, Sprat or battledore (rf). 



The second and fifth sorts are allowed to be subspecies or varieties of the first and fourth, 

 and indead there can be little doubt that the vp^hole do not constitute more than one species. 



726 



5082. The spring barley or early barley (a), Orge carree, Sucrion de printemps, Fr., is distinguished by its 

 double row of beards or awns standing erect, and its thin husk, which renders it favourable for malting. 

 This is the sort principally cultivated in the southern and eastern districts of both England and Scotland, 

 and of which the farmers make two sorts, viz. the common, and the rath-ripe barley : but these two sorts 

 are in reality the same ; for the rath-ripe is only an alteration of the common barley, occasioned by being 

 long cultivated upon warm gravelly soils. The seed of this, when sown on cold or strong land, will, the 

 first year, ripen near a fortnight Earlier than the seed taken from strong land, and therefore the farmers 

 in the vales generally purchase their seed-barley from the warm or gravelly lands ; for, when preserved 

 in the vales two or three years, it becomes full as late in ripening as the common barley of their own 

 product : on the other hand, the farmers on warm lands are also obliged to procure their seed-barley from 

 the strong lands, otherwise their grain would degenerate in bulk or fulness, which by this change is pre- 

 vented. 



5083. The Siberian barley, Orge celeste, Fr., and Himmel gerste, Ger., is a variety of early barley with 

 broader leaves, and reckoned more productive than the other. It is much grown in the north of Europe, 

 and was introduced to this country in 1768, but is believed to be now lost or merged in the parent species. 



5084. Winter barley, late barley, or square barley {b), Orge carree d'hiver, Escourgeon, Fr., has the gi'ains 

 disposed in four or in six rows, large and thick skinned. It is chiefly cultivated in the north of England 

 and in Scotland, on account of its hardiness j but from the thickness of its rind it is ill adapted for malting, 

 and is going out of use. 



508,5. Bigg, hyg, or barley big, is a variety of winter barley known by always having six rows of grains, 

 by the grains being smaller and the rind thicker, and by its being earlier than the parent variety. Pro- 

 fessor Martyn says, he has frequently counted forty-two grains on one ear of bigg, when common or long- 

 eared barley had only twenty-two. 



5086. Common or long-eared barley (c), is known by its very long spike or ear, flatted transversely, 

 greater in breadth than thickness, with chaff ending in an awn sixteen times the length of the grain. 

 This sort is cultivated in many parts of England and Scotland j though some object to it because the ears 

 being long and heavy they think it apt to lodge. 



5087. Naked barley, or wheat barley, Orge nue a deux rangs, Fr., is known by the grain separating easily 

 from the chaff", and is by some considered as nothing else than spelt wheat, which it greatly resembles. It 

 does not appear to be cultivated at present in any part of Britain. 



5088. Sprat, or battledore barley {d), Orge eventail, Orge-rix, Fr., is known by its low stature, coarse 

 straw, short broad ears, and long awns. The long awns and closeness of the ears protect it better from 

 birds than most other sorts, but as the straw is scanty and of little use it is not much cultivated. 



5089. Besides these sorts there are some local varieties, as Thanet barley. Putney barley, &c. which are 

 merely names given to the varieties common in those places. The Thanet is the winter, and the Putney 

 the sprat barley. 



5090. New varieties may be procured by selection or crossing, as in the case of wheat. 

 (5009.) 



5091. In choosing a sort of barley for cultivation, regard must be had to the soil and 

 climate. The hardiest may be considered the winter barley, and the earliest, and perhaps 

 the best, is the spring barley. The long-eared is also a much esteemed variety. 



5092. In choosing from any particular variety, the best grain for sowing is that which is free from 

 blackness at the tail, and is of a pale lively yellow colour, intermixed with a bright whitish cast; and if 

 the rind be a little shrivelled, it is so much the better, as it shows that it has sweated in the mow, and is 

 a sure indication that its coat is thin. The husk of thick-rinded barley being too stiff to shrink, will lie 

 smooth and hollow, even when the flour has shrunk from it within. The necessity of a change of seed 

 from time to time, by sowing that of the growth of a different soil, as it has been observed, is in no 

 instance more evident than in the culture of this grain, which otherwise becomes coarser and coarser 

 every year. But in this, as well in all other grain, the utmost care should be taken that the seed is full 

 bodied. 



5093. The best soil for barley is a light rich loam, finely pulverised. It will neither 

 grow well on a sandy or soft soil, nor on strong clays, such as are suitable for wheat. 



5094. The preparation of the soil is sometimes by a naked fallow, but generally by a 

 ttirnip fallow ; sometimes it is taken after peas and beans, but rarely by good farmers 

 either after wheat or oats, unless under special circumstances. 



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