144 



the most distant periods on record, and is still an annually raised crop. 

 The latter circumstance alone renders the distribution of its seeds by 

 birds, even at considerable distances from the place of growth, so 

 probable as to preclude the necessary assumption of wild propagation 

 in either case. The varieties of this, the favourite barley of English 

 agriculturists, are too many to admit of very close description of it as 

 a species. The height of the straw or culm, the breadth and other 

 characters of the foliage, and the length of the spike or ear, differ 

 greatly in different soils and seasons, leaving little to be added to the 

 above distinctive features. Of these, the flattened form of the spike, 

 occasioned by the constant sterility of the lateral spikelets, will at the 

 first glance separate it from the following, H. hexastichum and all its 

 varieties and supposed allied species ; but there are two which, holding 

 near relations to itself in this respect, render attention necessary to 

 the succeeding characters of the awns and fruit : these are H. Zeocriton 

 of Linnaeus, which has a shorter spike, with the awns spreading out- 

 wards from it like the sticks of a fan ; and H. gymnodistichum, dis- 

 tinguished by the ripe grain dropping out of the husk, or in other 

 words, in which the paleae do not cohere around the fruit. By many 

 persons who have written on the subject, the two plants in question 

 are regarded as true species, and this may be the case with the first, 

 but it is doubtful. 



Annual. Flowers in July. 



This is the species chiefly cultivated in England, and the varieties 

 of it resulting from difference 'of soil and treatment are almost innu- 

 merable. Some of the latter appear to retain the characters thus 

 acquired through periods of indefinite extent ; but the far greater 

 proportion manifest a tendency to change, which renders their relative 

 agricultural value precarious, and frequently leads to disappointment. 

 The fact in question obviates the necessity of noticing them in a work 

 like the present, and it is even doubtful whether in any instance, the 

 permanence of varieties among the cultivated species of grain admits 

 of positive demonstration. The varieties of Hordeuni distichum are 

 usually sown in this country about the middle of March, the growing 

 barley being very liable to suffer from the alternation of frost and 

 wet weather during the winter, when the seed is deposited before the 

 setting in of the latter season ; hence has originated among farmers 

 the distinction into winter and spring barleys ; and although the terms 

 merely referred originally to the time of sowing, as certain hardy 

 varieties are better calculated for winter sowing than others, the 

 denominations are not without utility in practice. The spring barley 

 of Norfolk has long held a high estimation in most parts of the king- 

 dom ; as, though the ear is usually comparatively short, consisting only 

 of from ten to fifteen grains on each side, the straw is strong and of 

 moderate length, rendering it less liable to be laid or beaten down by ' 

 rain, than those of taller growth, and with larger and more productive 

 spikes. The name of Norfolk barley is, however, at present one of 

 very indefinite signification. Another variety of H. distichum, intro- 

 duced about thirty years ago, by a gentleman of the name of Chevalier, 

 and called after him Chevalier barley, still holds a high rank among 



