THE USES OF BARLEY 229 



starch from the grain after it has been changed in form by the 

 germination process, the grain being placed in vats or tanks 

 where it is moistened and heated sufficiently to induce rapid 

 germination. Oats and wheat are also used to produce 

 malt, but barley is much preferred by maltsters and is most 

 largely used. Brewing or malting barley should be clean 

 and bright in color, free from other grains, weed seeds, and 

 broken grains, and of high germinating power. Broken 

 grains or those which will not germinate are objectionable 

 because they mold in the germinating tanks and the mold is 

 communicated to the healthy grains. 



282. Feeding to Stock. Barley is quite largely used for 

 feeding to stock, either whole or ground into meal. In the 

 Mississippi Valley it is most largely used for feeding to hogs, 

 as it produces pork of very high quality. It is also useful 

 for fattening sheep and for feeding to dairy cows and poultry. 

 It is not often fed to horses in this section, but in the Pacific 

 states it is a standard feed for this class of animals. The 

 feeding value of barley is about the same as that of corn. 



283. Use as Human Food. This grain is little used as 

 human food in the United States, though in some portions 

 of Europe it is commonly made into bread. In America, 

 it is principally used as pearl barley for soups and as a cereal 

 breakfast food. Pearl barley is the kernel from which the 

 hull has been removed. 



284. Use of the By-Products. Barley straw, the by- 

 product of grain production, is generally fed to animals or 

 used as bedding. As most of the barley which is produced 

 in this country is bearded and these beards can not be 

 separated from the straw, barley straw is less palatable than 

 that of oats or beardless wheat. It is also less nutritious 



