rly to temperate regions. It originated from a
wild species, _H. spontaneum_, a native of western Asia and has been
cultivated from the earliest times. Three subspecies or races are
recognized, (i.) _H. sativum_, subsp. _distichum_ (described by Linnaeus as
a distinct species, _H. distichon_), two-rowed barley. Only the middle
spikelet of each triplet is fertile; the ear has therefore only two
longitudinal rows of grain, and the spikes are strongly compressed
laterally. This approaches most nearly to the wild stock, from which it is
distinguished by the non-jointed axis and somewhat shorter awns. This is
the race most commonly grown in the British Isles and in central Europe,
and includes a large number of sub-races and varieties among which are the
finest malting-barleys. The chief sub-races are (a) peacock, fan or
battledore barley, described by Linnaeus as a distinct species, _H.
zeocriton_, with erect short ears about 2-1/2 in. long, broad at the base
and narrow at the tip, suggesting an open fan or peacock's tail; (b)
erect-eared barleys (var. _erectum_) with erect broad ears and
closely-packed plump grains; (c) nodding barleys (var. _nutans_). The ripe
ears of the last hang so as to become almost parallel with the stem; they
are narrower and longer than in (b), owing to the grains being placed
farther apart on the rachis; it includes the Chevalier variety, one of the
best for malting purposes, (ii.) _H. sativum_, subsp. _hexastichum_,
six-rowed barley (the _H. hexastichon_ of Linnaeus). All the flowers of
each triplet of spikelets on both sides of the rachis are fertile and
produce ripe fruits; hence the ear produces six longitudinal rows of grain.
The ears are short, erect, and the grain thin and coarse; the straw is also
short. It is a hardy race, but owing to the poor quality of the grain is
rarely met with in Great Britain, (iii.) _H. sativum_, subsp. _vulgare_,
bere, bigg or four-rowed barley (the _H. vulgare_ of Linnaeus). All the
flowers of each triplet are fertile as in (ii.), but the rows are not
arranged regularly at equal distances round the rachis. The central fruits
of each triplet form two regular rows, but the lateral spikelets form not
four straight single rows as in (ii.), but two regular double rows, the
whole ear appearing irregularly four-rowed. This race seems to be of later
origin than the others. The ears are erect, about 2-1/2 in. long, the
grains thinner and longer than in the two-rowed race,