THE BARLEY CROP. 125 



quire it to undergo. But place the starch -containing seed 

 in the soil let its dormant gerin be called to life by the 

 conditions necessary, then we see a new agent " diastase" 

 called into existence ; and the food, before insoluble and 

 unavailable to the young plant, is now rendered soluble, 

 and capable of ministering to its future growth. The first 

 movement of life is the signal for its appearance at the very 

 spot where its aid is most required there ready at once to 

 effect changes, and to furnish the supply of food demanded 

 by the increasing plant. And then, again, when its duties 

 are all performed, and its existence is no longer necessary, 

 its functions cease it in itself falls before the power that 

 created it and thus, in another form, passes into the 

 structure of the young plant, through the medium of the 

 sap, by which it is readily taken up. 



Under favourable conditions barley germinates very 

 rapidly ; in the course of three or four days it is well up 

 through the ground, and in another day or two has put forth 

 leaves, which, by the time the parent stock of food is 

 exhausted, are able to supply the young plant from the 

 atmosphere. After this period it requires but very little 

 attention; its growth under suitable conditions is very 

 rapid, and it is generally ready for harvesting immediately 

 after the wheat crop. This should be commenced directly 

 the ear loses the last tint of pinkish hue, and assumes the 

 yellow tint of maturity, at which period the neck of the 

 straw also indicates, by its changed colour, that the circu- 

 lation of the plant is arrested, and the head begins to 

 droop. The grain at this period possesses its highest 

 nutritive value, the after processes of maturation having re- 

 ference principally to the formation of the seed-coat (husk). 

 If the barley be intended for seed it is desirable that this 

 last process should be fully carried out, and therefore the 

 harvesting should be delayed some few days later, as may 

 be convenient. At all events, by commencing as early as 



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