THE PRINCIPLES OF BOTANY. 
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first of these is of a bright colour, and is much esteemed for 
brewing the finer kinds of ale ; the second is little if at all 
inferior, its more golden tint not at all interfering with the 
brightness or colour of the finer pale ales. 
Of course all varieties of barley depend much upon the 
nature of the soil and the kind of cultivation for malting 
qualities ; and hence it follows that not all the barley grown 
is fit for malting purposes, either by reason of a capability to 
malt properly, or from being harvested in bad condition. 
2. H. Siberica. — This, as being either four- or six-rowed, 
shows its connection with both the two- or six-rowed kinds. 
Professor Lindley says of it : 
“ This barley differs from the common here in its seeds, 
which separate from the chaff in threshing, but the form of 
the ear is similar, although longer. It is cultivated in the 
North of Europe, where its earliness and rapid growth suit 
the short summers ; but in the British Islands its cultivation 
has met with but little encouragement.” 
We have grown it by way of experiment, and were not a 
little struck with the fact that the seed separated from the 
glume as readily as does that of wheat ; and it is somewhat 
curious that it should possess qualities somewhat analogous 
to those of wheat, and it is stated that it makes a flour 
superior to that of wheat. The learned Professor just quoted 
concludes that “ the Siberian barley might be profitably cul- 
tivated in some of the higher and later districts of Scotland 
and Ireland, where the produce would be valuable for 
grinding into bread-meal. It is about a week earlier than 
common here.” 
3. H. hexastichum is grown in Scotland under the name 
of “ Bere.” In England it is known as winter barley, and 
being sown before Christmas is harvested as one of the first 
of our grain crops. There are two varieties known, one as 
the white bere, the other the black bere, or big We well 
recollect the noise made about the black-skinned barley, but 
we again quote Professor Lindley, as his remarks are inter- 
esting on this point. He says : 
“ It is only lately (1848) that a considerable sale of black 
barley, at high prices for seed, was effected by the advertise- 
ment of a history belonging to it, which was singular enough 
to attract attention. The whole of the stock was raised, it 
was said, from a seed taken from the crop of a goose which 
was shot on Lake Simcoe, in West Canada, when on its 
southern autumnal flight ! There was no need for the 
Canadian to have sent us the produce of this solitary grain. 
We have abundant stock of these varieties at home, as would 
