SEASONAL COMMENTS ON BARLEYS AND MALTS

Throughout the country, the 1959 barley crop was exceptionally good in yield and quality, early and late sown varieties both being successful. However, threshing difficulties persisted and caused some damage, whilst there was some pregermination in samples from certain areas. The barley crop has increased six-fold since pre-war days, but malting barley now represents only one-quarter of the crop, thus representing a considerable fall and creating a new relationship between grower and maltster. There were indications that, with reasonable care in choice of barley and control of malting treatment, there would be some very good malts, though working might be more difficult than it was for the barleys from the extremely wet harvest of the previous year.