BARLEY BREAD. [To THE EDITOR OP THE " SPECTATOR.") SIR,—It
surely would assist your "Down Glasses" propaganda if some effort were made to make barley bread obtainable in the towns. Of course it is obvious that barley meal is necessary for the production of meat and milk, but few people in the South of England have begun to think of eating barley bread. The agricul- tural labourer must be considered quite outside Lord Devonport's rationing scheme. Three pounds cf flour a week is an impossible allowance for a man who eats little else but bread and cheese or bread and bacon. Five pounds is quite the least allowance; it would be more often six pounds, and quite four pounds of flour for each child. While as to meat, one pound per person would be the most that would be eaten by a labourer's family in the week, with meat at its present price—ls. 4d. a pound. It therefore appears that for town dwellers and wealthier people there is plenty of meat, but very little bread. Why should not all bakers be compelled to offer for sale a certain number of barley loaves?
[We agree with our correspondent in her praise of barley bread. It is excellent food, and appetizing as well as satisfying. For ordi- nary palates a loaf made, as in Wales, half of barley and half of wheat seconds will probably be most liked. Barley bread, though it looks dark like rye bread, has no sour taste.—lie. Spectator.]
Previous page
