UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION CIRCULAR No. 246 June, 1922 DESIRABLE QUALITIES OF CALIFORNIA BARLEY FOR EXPORT By J. W. GILMORE and L. J. FLETCHER During and since the World War the supply of barley from Smyrna and other Near East points has not been available, as heretofore, to the European brewers. In consequence there has been strong demand for California barley, for, when properly harvested and graded, California barley is in good repute for malting purposes. Its high quality for this purpose is said to be due to the practice of allowing it to become com- pletely ripe, which leads to uniformity of germination, an important factor in malting. Other factors, however, enter. Not less than thirty-one million bushels of barley on the average are produced in California each year, and each year not less than a million acres of land are planted to this crop. More than ten thousand farms report barley; it is therefore an important crop in this state. It is believed that during recent years more than half of the annual crop has been shipped out of the state. A large part of that which is shipped out is exported to Europe for malting purposes. It is safe to say that comparatively little of the crop is used on the farm where it ig raised. The barley grain, when threshed properly, retains a small portion of the beard (see fig. 1). Naturally, the shorter this beard, the heavier the weight per bushel. In order, therefore, to increase the weight per bushel, the practice of close threshing has grown to such an extent that not only may the beard be completely removed, but the end of the kernel is sometimes exposed. The exposed kernels and the broken kernels absorb water more rapidly than the kernels which are normally covered. Irregularity or complete loss of germination occurs ; the nongerminating kernels mould. Thus there is a serious reduction in both the quality and the quantity of the malt. 2 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION Moulding is so serious a matter that new, mechanical methods have been introduced to prevent the moulding of broken kernels. In general, the higher the weight per bushel, the greater the market value. A sample of barley, however, that weighs forty-seven pounds per bushel due to close threshing is not so desirable for malting purposes as barley weighing, say, forty- four pounds, which has been properly threshed. Therefore too much emphasis should not be placed on high weight per bushel for export barley. During and immediately following the World War, when our barley had little competition, European importers were constrained to take practically all the California barley that was offered them. Some of it was below the proper standards. Now these buyers are said to be in position to be more particular about their purchases. It becomes necessary, therefore, for all those interested in the growing, harvesting, handling, and exporting of barley for malting purposes to be more careful, otherwise California will lose this valuable trade. It is not enough that one of the agencies in the process shall practice correct methods; everybody concerned must cooperate. The grower, the thresherman, the warehouse or elevator man, and the shipper must all combine to bring about a better quality in export barley. What is wanted is barley that is reasonably free from injury, that is plump, bright, and viable. California can produce such barley. At this moment the vital point is the method of threshing. This circular therefore deals especially with the methods of threshing. It also states some of the other requirements of good malting barley. Thresher injury. — This term as bearing on the quality of barley relates to the breaking of the grains and to the stripping of the kernels of their hulls. This latter injury is evidenced by the breaking of the beard or awn too close to the kernel, thus splitting the hull in such way that more or less of the tip of the kernel is exposed. While barley as high as ten per cent of exposed or broken kernels is used for malting purposes, yet, if California is to retain a desirable export trade, barley containing more than five per cent of such damage should not be exported. Recent barley grades promulgated by the State Department of Agriculture (see page 8) establish maximum limits for thresher injury on malting barleys as follows: Grade 1, 3 per cent ; Grade 2, 5 per cent ; and Grade 3, 7 per cent. An experienced thresherman will know how to adjust his machine to prevent cracking and skinning. Those not entirely familiar with the operation and adjustment of their combined harvester or threshing machine should study carefully instruction books and other literature Circular 246] CALIFORNIA BARLEY FOR EXPORT Fig. 1. — At the top, plump kernels properly threshed; a part of the beard adheres to the grain. In the center, stripped and broken grains improperly threshed. At the bottom, shriveled barley of poor grade. 4 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION furnished by the company. A service man or company expert should be called rather than rest content with poor results. In general, threshing injury is due to : 1. Improper spacing or adjustment of the cylinder and concave teeth ; 2. Excessive cylinder speed ; 3. Rethreshing of the grain returned to the cylinder as tailings. The cylinder and concave teeth should be carefully examined each day for spacing and tightness. The cylinder must be square with the machine and the concaves parallel to the cylinder. Bent or loose teeth cause unequal spacing and consequent cracking of the grain. Teeth badly worn should be replaced, although care should be taken to keep the cylinder in proper balance. Excessive end play in cylinder bearings is a frequent cause of unequal tooth spacing. The clearance between the bearing boxes and cylinder should be just enough to prevent heating. The usual end play is about % 4 of an inch, or the thickness of an ordinary United States postal card. In the concaves use as few teeth and set them as low as possible for satisfactory threshing. It is very important that the cylinder revolve uniformly and at the proper speed. Excessive speed causes cracking of the grain. Every owner should use a speed counter and regularly test the speed of the cylinder. Undoubtedly, a large amount of cracking occurs when the grain is returned to the cylinder as tailing. Some of this injury may be caused by the tailings auger and elevator. It mostly occurs as the grain passes between the cylinder and concaves for the second time, the per cent of cracking increasing each time the grain is returned. In an effort to obtain an artificially high weight per bushel, the tendency has been to beard barley too closely. The rear end of the silver is lowered in the shoe and the blast increased to the point when all except the very closely bearded grain is returned as tailings. This causes twofold harm; first, by removing the remaining small portion of the beard, which portion is desired in export barley, and second, by suffering the rather high percentage of cracking and skinning which occurs in rethreshing the tailings. Excessive amounts of tailings should be avoided if possible. Some of the causes for this high proportion are: improper (irregular) feed- ing; concaves set too low, or too few teeth, so that the grain is not shelled from the head ; insufficient wind ; separator not level ; and poor adjustment of chaffer and sieves. CIRCULAR 246] CALIFORNIA BARLEY FOR EXPORT 5 Even though the teeth of the cylinder and concave are tight, straight, and in good repair, yet other causes may contribute to the injury of barley. These relate particularly to the adjustment of the machine for varying conditions and types of grain. Some conditions of the grain that may require adjustments in several parts of the thresher are as follows: Dry or dead ripe grain as compared with moist grain ; Weedy grain as compared with clear grain, especially if the weeds are green ; Light grain as compared with heavy grain in the same field ; Headed grain as compared with grain in full straw ; Whether the work be done by combine or stationary thresher, it is important that the feeding shall be skillfully and intelligently done. Just what modifications or adjustments are necessary depend upon the intensity of the conditions. It may mean the removal of some of the concave bars, as when the grain Is dry, headed, or running light; or a change or adjustment of screens, straw rack, blower, and in exceptional cases a change in the speed of the cylinder, as when the grain is heavy, weed}^, or moist. Also modifications are necessary when the combine goes from wheat to barley, or vice versa, Now that most combines are equipped with an auxiliary engine, these adjust- ments are more easily made than formerly. In order to reduce thresher injury to a minimum it is suggested that men familiarize themselves with the grades for western barley, recently promulgated, and adjust their machines to produce the highest grade possible in accordance with these regulations. Protein content. — Except in rare instances, dry barley contains from nine to fourteen per cent of protein. For malting purposes barleys containing the minimum amounts of protein are usually con- sidered best. This constituent varies from year to year, and also with the variety. It is influenced by both seasonal and soil conditions. Experiments indicate that late spring rains insuring a long ripening season cause a decrease in the amount of protein in the grain ; likewise, barleys grown on poor soil are lower in protein content than those grown on rich soil. Six-rowed barleys average higher in protein than two-rowed barleys, and as a general rule also produce greater yields. It is suggested that when barleys are to be used for malting purposes they be selected from those parts of the state where climatic con- ditions have been favorable for the production of low protein grain. A mealy consistency of the kernel of barley usually indicates a lower b UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION protein content than that of a flinty kernel. This characteristic of mealiness also lessens the weight per bushel and likewise the average weight of the grain, size being the same, both of which are desirable in barley that is to be used for malting purposes. The weight per bushel varies according to the mealiness or the flintiness of the kernel, the fineness of the hull, and the amount of beard that remains on the grain. Color. — For malting purposes, color in barley is a very important factor. The brighter the color the more desirable is the grain. Color is modified mainly by weather conditions at the time of ripening. If the weather is humid or rainy, and the ripening season is prolonged, a brown or faded appearance is the result. Color is also modified by disease conditions, such as are produced by smut. Smutty barley is undesirable for any purpose, and especially so for malting. Varieties also differ in color, ranging from light brown through a bluish color to the creamy brightness that is desired for malting purposes. If barley is threshed before it is thoroughly dry, and stored in large bulks, it is likely to become discolored. Sacked barley piled on the ground in large ricks immediately after threshing sometimes becomes discolored, especially if the ground is moist. This manner of handling should be avoided in the coast counties and those localities where summer fogs are abundant. Barley should not be left in the field longer than necessary, for both long exposure to the sunlight and late summer rains will cause discoloration. Discoloration may also result from loading in ships with cargo space improperly ventilated. The color due to variety or to climatic conditions cannot very readily be con- trolled. However, by treating the seed by well-known methods for the prevention of smut, objectionable discoloration due to disease can. in a large measure, be avoided. Plumpness. — For all purposes for which barley is useful, plumpness is a desirable character, but it is emphatically so for malting purposes. The relative plumpness of different grades and varieties of barley is measured by the weight of a certain number of grains. Barley that weighs less than thirty grams per thousand grains is not considered suitable for malting purposes. When the weight is fifty grams per thousand grains or over, it is considered of finest quality if other qualities are satisfactory. The weight of grain, or plumpness, is modified by variety, but to a greater extent by climatic and cultural conditions. Usually when barley is grown on light soils in which both fertility and moisture are lacking, the grains are likely to be shriveled and take on what is com- monly called the "shoe-peg" form. This condition is also brought CIRCULAR 246] CALIFORNIA BARLEY FOR EXPORT 7 about in certain years when the rainfall has been very light and the ripening season is dry. Purity of sample. — For malting purposes, uniformity and purity of sample are of great importance. Where the stock of grain is made up of mixed varieties, or of grains of various grades, the barley is rendered thereby undesirable for malting. When thus mixed, germi- nation, plumpness, mealiness, percentage of hull, and other desirable qualities are so variable that a uniform malt is not possible. Uniformity of sample is entirely in the hands of the grower, because it is relatively easy to keep varieties separate and pure, and the harvested grain can readily be graded for plumpness and size. A great deal of the trouble arising from this cause can be obviated by planting reasonably pure varieties. The threshermen should also clean their combines thoroughly when going from a field of one variety to that of another. This is especially important when any large quantity of the grain harvested is to be used for seed. It would be advantageous in many instances to keep the barley from different parts of the field separate, where the field varies in productivity and moisture supply. Thus the mixture of shriveled and plump barleys and the consequent non-uniformity from thresher injury might be avoided. There are other qualities of barley that bear upon its value for malting or export purposes, such as fineness or thinness of. hulls, mealiness, and bad odor. But these are of relatively minor importance to the qualities of plumpness, brightness, and thresher injury. Except during abnormal conditions of excessive or scarce rainfall, the desir- able qualities of barley are under the control of growers and threshers. If barley is planted on well-prepared, fallow land, and in good season, a high yielding, well-filled harvest of grain may be expected. 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