74 



SOUTHERN FIELD CROPS 



rye on a field where there has not before been ergot on rye, 

 nor on any of the related wild grasses. Fortunately, ergot 

 is not very common in the South. 



II. BARLEY — HOEDEUM SATIVUM 



Barley is an armual grain of comparatively slight im- 

 portance in the cotton-belt. In regions where it is grown 

 for seed production, the grain is utilized chiefly in the pro- 

 duction of beer, and great pains is taken to produce a 

 grain of the highest quality and free 

 from weather stain or other injury. 



The chief use of barley in the South 

 is for pasturage and as a soiling plant. 

 It is sown in the same way as rye. 

 Green barley is considered to be more 

 palatable than pastures of any of the 

 other small grains, but the amount of 

 pasturage per acre is usually smaller 

 than that from rye. 



76. Description. — Barley has the 

 shortest straw of any of the small 

 grains. The heads are usually armed 

 with strong, long, spreading beards, 

 that grow from the tips of the glumes 

 (Fig. 27). In spite of this objection, 

 barley is used in California as a hay 

 plant, but its use necessitates the 

 frequent removal of the beards from 

 the gums of the horses consuming it. 

 The clasps at the junction of leaf- 

 sheath and leaf-blade are larger on 



Fig. 27. — A Head and 

 Grains of Bearded 

 Barley. 



