The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1883-10-27
Something About Barley.

i Ihis genus Of grasses ranks in some
Of the countries Of Europe next to
wheat in value. There arc MANY
species Of what is termed barley
grasses, but the majority of them ara
coarse, weedy plants of little or NO
value to man. The grain known as
barley figures In the remote records of
both sacred and civil history, and has
been constantly cultivated from tho
most ancient times till the present day.
III the days of Moses, ssan homer of
barley seed was valued at fifty shekels
Of silver, /" Barley is mentioned in the
story OF Naomi and Ruth, and in MANY
other places in tho sacred records.
Piii1y gives such explicit descriptions
OF barley Hs cultivated in his day that
there is no difficulty in recognizing it as
the same known and cultivated at the
present time. Coltmella mentions two
varieties as cultiyatedin Italy, one called
hexasticufii and the other distichum.
Cato. Palladius. Virgil and other
ancient Writer'S speak Of this grain and
IFS value, giving full and explicit d.
reetlons for preparing the land and
sowing the seed. Yaro saws that six
madii of barley should be sown per acre.
which is equivalent to about two BUSH
els and two peeks of our measure.
The flowers OF barley are arranged in
compact spike in alternate order on
each side of a terminal raehis or stem.
IneH contain both stamens and pistils.
ana Tor this reason are termed helma-
.phrodite, the organs of fertility being
enclosed within two spalea, the inner
one closely investing the seed, and the
outer one unwrapping and folding over
the inner, and furnished with long
avn or beard beset with three rows -
acute bristles. Three palep constitute
spikelet and two glumes belong to
each palea.
Although barleyis usually regarded
as more tender than soma of the other
cereals, II is cultivated over very wide
range ofcOuntry, often Hourishing where
subject to great heat and long irourhts. |
as we'll as In very moist and cool eli |
mates, FAR to the north, Owing 10 the
peculiar form of the flowers IL ig.sless |
liable to blight from unfavorable wealth,
or when in bloom than wheat The /
three Elements of the latter. with their
delicate anthers, are protruded and ex- |
posed to every change in the weather.
but in barley these organs are masked |
and protected by the floral iutegu-
ments.
Some writers classify barley accord
ne to the time Of sowing, making only
iwo dlyisions-spring and winter bar
ey Others classify alfsvarieties of bar
ey according TO the number of rows of
sraln in the ears, into six-rowed. four
owed and two-rowed but the first two
re undoubtedly the same species. while
ne last - distinct. as they have only
ne spikelet at each joint of the rachis
ethn . fertile flower, the two lateral
being reduced to sterile rudi-
aenf. The winter and spring barley
Ip often interchanged. and what Is
eFlckly 2 spring variety in one country I
{ locality becomes 3 winter variety in
theirs Attempts,have als0 been made
classify the varieties according 10 the
dheslpn on non-adhesion of the corolla
nth i1pes seed, making the awned and |
akeu ba1' EsAFhen there IS what is !
lrmed the 4iefreared and sauare-eared
arieys. But for all practical purposes
e many vsricties in cultivation NAV
referred 70 TIVE species, namely, Il
ordess1lt t'sstgdrc, f0lu and six-rowed.
I'd n distichtsn1, tNrowed barley. :
be latter IS Supposed d IS native 81
artary. With grain 50 long ii cul. I.
ration as barley. and 30 So aSs1s dit. I
rent countries and over such . WIDE.
nge Of climate, il Is not strange that
should vary greatly from the original
pes hence the great number OF dis !.
ut varieties IN cultivation y :
N ~ Z