26 BULLETIN 183, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
grain the protoplasm of the cells of the embryo is active and possessed 
of all the vitality of newly formed tissue, yet barley germinates very 
imperfectly at this time. The epithelial layer will attack the endo- 
sperm, even under the most favorable conditions of moisture, tem- 
perature, etc., only in a weak, erratic manner. The cells do not seem 
ready to exert their full force. In fact, it is only after a certain 
period of rest that the grain displays its full germinative potency and 
becomes thoroughly re- 
teponsive to germinative 
influences. 
It has been noticed 
that the "sweating" 
process in the curing of 
barley is closely con- 
nected with this change 
in the internal energy of 
the grain. If grain be 
sweated in the stack, 
both the percentage and 
the vigor of its germina- 
tion are increased to the 
maximum. Any other 
method of treatment 
after cutting is inferior, 
the changes being 
brought about under 
more adverse conditions. 
If the curing process 
takes place in the shock, 
it occurs irregularly and 
imperfectly and at the 
same time the grain is 
exposed to the weather. 
If it occurs in the bin, 
there is danger of over- 
heating and consequent 
damage. The vigor of germination may be affected in this way even 
when there is no visible indication that deterioration has occurred. 
Of course the injury is likely to be more serious and even to make 
the use of the barley for malting purposes impossible. 
These various factors of efficiency in the conversion of the barley 
grain, when applied to commercial malting operations, presuppose 
pedigreed barley. The efficiency of the ordinary market barley may 
be increased by careful culture, but it will never become really supe- 
rior. The commercial varieties as they are sold in the markets are 
composed of many sub varieties (fig. 7). The Manchuria, the Oder- 
FiG. 7. — Two grains of barley from a commercial sample, showing 
the extremes of variation to be found in barleys as grown at 
present in this country. Economical malting of a barley that 
contains any considerable percentage of such extreme shapes 
is impossible. 
