166 



GROWTH OF BARLEY. 



or sprat barley. A beardless variety, the 

 Hordeum trifurcatum, is also known to 

 some extent, but possesses no advantages 

 for cultivation, that I am aware of, over the 

 more common varieties. 



Barley is probably cultivated over a 

 wider range of climate and latitude than 

 any other cereal. In warm climates it 

 passes through its various phases of vege- 

 tation with astonishing rapidity, so as to 

 escape the droughts of summer ; and in 

 cold climates its growth is even more rapid, 

 coming to maturity before the frosts of 

 autumn. Linnaeus found it growing in 

 jLulean Lapland, in latitude 67 20*, where 

 | the harvest began on the 28th July, the 

 seed having been sown only six weeks. 



In the warmer climate of Spain, two 

 crops may be taken from the same ground, 

 by sowing in autumn and the following 

 summer. In this respect, therefore, barley 

 has the advantage of being more important 

 to mankind than even wheat. 



Barley succeeds best in soils of medium 

 consistency, but accommodates itself to 

 almost every variety of soil, except very 

 moist ones. It endures a drought better 

 than excessive moisture, but it requires as 

 deep and good tillage as wheat, and may 

 take the same place in the rotation as 

 winter wheat or rye. It takes from the 

 soil a larger percentage of mineral sub- 

 stances, as potash, lime, magnesia, phos- 

 phone acid, &c., than wheat or rye, and 

 these substances should, in some form, be restored to 



