TESTS OF BARLEY VARIETIES IX AMERICA 5 
the more recent introductions. This early 6-rowed barley probably 
consisted of the mixed stocks of the 6-rowed barley under cultiva- 
tion in England, Scotland, and western continental Europe at the 
time of its miportation into this country. These mixtures seem to 
differ from the more vigorous strain of Manchuria only in vigor and 
in the smaller proportion of biotypes with blue aleurone layers. 
Some of the strains also are characterized by slightly larger kernels. 
Barley was being bred by selection at an early date in western 
Europe. The efforts at improvement were expended on the 2-rowed 
varieties. Until very recently the 6-rowed barleys remained as they 
were developed by ecological conditions. The Oderbrucker barky of 
Germany has proved to be the best west European 6-rowed sort tried 
in this country. As originally introduced it was not mdel}' differ- 
ent from the K^Ianchm-ia form, but has exliibited somewhat less vigor 
and a narrower range of adaptation, 
TREND OF BARLEY GROWING 
As has been remarked before, barley was introduced into America 
by the early colonists. The colonies first founded were along the 
Atlantic seaboard. In recent tixnes barley has not done well on the 
Atlantic Coastal Plain. It is not well adapted to the tj'pes of soil 
most common there. It is probable that it grew to better advantage 
on the virgin soils when the land was fu'st cleared. It was introduced 
into all of the colonies, where it was in demand as a grain for brewmg. 
Both in the early colonies and in the later settlements of the Missis- 
sippi Valley barley invariably was planted, and considerable acreage 
developed near all of the larger cities. This acreage was in response 
to a city demand, and barley often was grown in districts to which it 
was not suited. 
In the annual report of the United States Patent Office (agricultural 
portion) for 1853 (pp. 156, 157) there are several notes on the early 
history of barle}". According to this report the introduction of bar- 
ley in the North American colonies may be traced back to the periods 
of their settlement. It was grown by Gosnold, together vrith other 
English grains, on Marthas Xlnej^ard and the Elizabeth Islands in 
1602 and by the colonists of the London Company in Virginia m 
1611. By the year 1648 it was grown in abundance in that colony, 
but its culture vv^as allowed to decline soon after, in consecpience of 
the more profitable and increased production of tobacco. 
Barley appears to have been cultivated in New Netherlands as 
early as the year 1626, as samples of the harvest of that year, grovTi 
by the colonists on Manhattan Island, were sent to Holland with 
other grains as evidence of their prosperous condition. 
According to the records of the governor and of the Massachusetts 
Bay Company in New England, barley was introduced into that col- 
ony in 1629. In 1633 good crops were gro^vn in L3'nn. 
In 1796 the chief agricultural product of Rhode Island was barley, 
considerable quantities of which were raised. 
Barley grew better in the colonies of New England than in those 
farther south, with the possible exception of the southeastern part 
of Pennsylvania, where the soils were especially suited to its prockic- 
tion. The combination of favorable soil and clhnatic conditions was 
not found in any settlement in the United vStates until these settle- 
