CHAPTER VII 



BARLEY 



The history of the development of barley in its rela- 

 tion to man coincides with that of wheat. Both of these 

 cereals have been closely identified with the progress of 

 civilization, and the people of many nations, both ancient 

 and modern, have depended upon them not only for food 

 for their beasts of burden, but also for themselves. How 

 long barley has been grown is not known, but evidence 

 that it is one of the oldest of cultivated grains is to be 

 foimd in the history of the earliest nations of which we 

 have knowledge. Specimens of barley have been taken 

 from the tombs of the ancient Egyptians, and coins 

 used by these people bear figures of barley heads. The 

 literature of the early writers of Egypt and also the earlier 

 books of the Bible contain references to this plant. Barley 

 was used at that time for making bread, and also, it is 

 said, in the making of certain drinks. Botanists generally 

 agree that the original home of barley was in the western 

 part of Asia, where wild forms of it are still to be found. 

 The people that inhabited this country in early days 

 probably were the first to discover its usefulness and to 

 cultivate it. From western Asia barley was introduced 

 into almost all parts of Europe, where it was the chief 

 bread plant, it is said, until the sixteenth century. Barley 

 was introduced at an early date into America and was 

 used by the colonists as food both for man and beast. 



164 



