172 FIELD CROP PRODUCTION 



158. Exports and imports. — The average annual 

 export of barley from the United States for the ten years 

 1902-1911 has been approximately 10 million bushels. 

 Almost all the export grain went to European countries 

 for malting purposes. During the same ten years, the 

 average annual import of barley has been approximately 

 80 million bushels, some of which was imported from 

 Europe for use as seed, much of the remainder came 

 from Canada. The average farm price per bushel on De- 

 cember 1st for the same period has been 53.6 cents per 

 bushel, with a range of price varying from 40 to 86 cents 

 per bushel. 



ADAPTATION 



159. Climate and soil. — Barley is best adapted to a 

 warm, dry climate. It requires less water during the 

 growing season than wheat, oats, or com, and may be 

 grown in places where the climate is not adapted to the 

 growing of corn or oats. While best adapted to warm 

 climates, it may be grown farther north, as the required 

 length of the growing season is less than that for oats and 

 wheat. While it grows best on comparatively dry soil, 

 good yields may be obtained where there is abundant 

 rainfall, if the soil is well drained. Barley grows best 

 on well-drained loams. It is more greatly influenced by 

 the fertility of the soil than is almost any other grain crop. 

 On poor soils the straw is short and the yield of grain is 

 low, while on fertile soils it grows taller and produces 

 more abundantly. While this is generally true of all 

 crops, the variation is probably greater with barley than 

 with other crops. Barley will withstand a more alkaline 

 condition of the soil than oats or wheat and may there- 

 fore be grown in certain sections of the West where the 

 latter crops caimot be grown successfully. 



