MONOCOTYLEDONS 



267 



others (Fig. 263). It is extensively cultivated in Northern 



Europe; and Russia is the greatest rye-producing country 



in the world, producing more bushels of rye than the United 



States produces bushels of wheat. The rye crop of the 



United States is very small comparatively, being less than 



one-twenty-fifth as large as the wheat crop, and less than 



one-thirtieth as large as the oat crop. -Rye can grow in 



regions too cold for wheat and on 



soils too poor for any other grain; 



in fact it does not thrive well in 



rich soils. There are spring and 



winter varieties. The latter is the 



one chiefly cultivated, being sown 



in the fall and harvested usually in 



June. 



Barley. This is one of the most 

 ancient of cereals in cultivation; 

 and, as it grows wild in western 

 Asia, this is thought to be its 

 original home (Fig. 264). It grows 

 through a greater range of lati- 

 tude than any other cereal, its cul- 

 tivation extending from Iceland 

 and Norway to India. It demands 

 in general the well-prepared and 

 well - drained soil necessary for 

 wheat. Its growing period is 

 shorter than that of wheat, for 

 it is very common to sow it after 

 and to harvest it just before spring wheat. In the United 

 States the barley crop in 1899 was nearly three times as 

 great as that of rye, California producing more than one- 

 fourth of it, and Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin following 

 in order. While barley is used in feeding, as grain, hay, 

 and straw, its most conspicuous use is by brewers in the 



FIG. 264. Barley. After EN- 

 GLER and PRANTL. 



