Chapter VI: The Walk continued

The next field they came to was sown with rye, which Mr. Mansfield said was a species of corn; and, although much coarser than wheat, was frequently made into bread, and in many places formed the chief food of the poor. He desired his grandson to gather an ear or two, that he might learn to distinguish between that and barley, which grew in the field through which they were next to pass.

Arthur pulled up a root of rye, and then ran to overtake his grandfather, who by this time had got over the stile, and was slowly crossing the barley field.

“Well, Arthur, what difference do you find in the growth of these two kinds of corn?” asked Mr. Mansfield.

_Arthur._ Indeed, grandpapa, I don’t see any, except that the rye grows very high, as high as the top of your hat, and that the barley only comes to my elbow.

_Mr. Mansfield._ That is one difference, to be sure. Examine them well, and perhaps you may discover some other.

_Arthur._ Oh, yes, I see, sir. The spikes of the rye are neither so fine nor so long as in the barley.

_Mr. Mansfield._ Very true again. So you see you need never mistake between them. The straw of the rye is the longest, but the beard (you should not call it the spikes) is shorter and coarser.

_Arthur._ I think the long beard of the barley gives it rather a silky look, as it waves about with the wind. Pray, grandpapa, is barley sown to make bread too?

_Mr. Mansfield._ Sometimes it is used for that purpose; but the greatest part of what we grow in England is for making beer.

_Arthur._ Beer! Is it possible that barley can make beer? Do you know, sir, how it is done?

_Mr. Mansfield._ Yes; and you shall hear, if you wish to know. All grain is the seed of the plant; and before it can be put to any use it must be taken out of the ear. Now, to do that, it is thrashed with an instrument called a flail. I suppose you have seen one, have you not?

_Arthur._ I remember once passing at some distance from a barn, where a man was swinging something about, that looked like a bent stick; and he beat the ground with it, and somebody said he was thrashing.

_Mr. Mansfield._ That he certainly was. The corn was spread upon the barn-floor, and he was beating out the grain with a flail. The next business is to separate it from the chaff, or outside skin. This is sometimes done by turning a machine very quickly so as to cause a wind, which blows away the chaff, for it is as light as a feather. A more simple method is, to throw the corn across from one side of the barn to the other, against the wind. The chaff, being so light, is soon blown back, whilst the corn goes on a little further, and falls in a heap by itself.

_Arthur._ But, dear grandpapa, what has this to do with making beer?

_Mr. Mansfield._ All in good time, my dear boy. You must _get at_ the barley before you can _use_ it, must you not? The method of winnowing I have described, relates principally to wheat (for barley is without chaff); but the barley must be thrashed, and separated from the ear; after which it is put for some days into a cistern of water. It is then taken out and laid in heaps; when it ferments, and is ready to shoot out in the same manner as if sown in the ground. Afterwards it is spread thinly over a floor, and frequently turned; and when partly dry is carried to a kiln, a kind of oven, where it is dried. Having passed through all this process it is called malt, and the man whose business it is, is termed a maltster.

_Arthur._ I thought brewers made beer?

_Mr. Mansfield._ You were right. Brewers buy malt. They grind it, and then pour hot water upon it, to get out its strength and goodness. The liquor thus obtained, which is sweet-wort, becomes the most valuable part of the commodity; for the malt has lost its virtue, and is called grains, and is only used to feed pigs and cattle. The wort is afterwards boiled with hops, which give it a bitterish taste instead of a sickly sweet, and keep it wholesome and good. Then it takes the name of beer; and after fermenting for a little while may be put into casks and kept for use. And now, Arthur, do you think that you understand brewing? Shall you recollect that malt is barley prepared in a particular way? and that beer is made by pouring warm water on the malt, and afterwards boiling it with hops?

_Arthur._ I think I shall, grandpapa.