Britannica Student Encyclopedia - 2010

escaping. It also protects the tree from

injury by people, animals, and weather.

In addition, the outer bark helps to keep

out living things such as germs and

fungi, which can cause diseases.

#More to explore

Tree

Barley

Barley is a valuable grain. Grains are

grasses that produce seeds that can be

eaten. Barley seeds are called kernels or

barleycorns.

Barley was probably first grown in

Ethiopia and Southeast Asia in ancient

times. Today Russia, Canada, and Germany

are leading barley producers.

A barley plant grows to about 1 to 4 feet

(0.3 to 1.2 meters) tall. It has a thin

stem and long, narrow leaves. At the

ends of the stems are structures called

spikes, which produce small flowers.

The flowers develop into kernels. Each

spike produces two to six rows of kernels,

depending on the type of plant.

About half of the world’s barley is used

to feed livestock. The rest is used for

human foods and for malting. Malted

barley is soaked in water and then dried

Bark helps protect trees from people, animals,

and weather.

Kernels of barley grow in neat

rows.

28 Bark BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

 

with hot air. It is used mostly to make

beer. A type called pearl barley is

common in hot cereal and soups.

Barley is also ground into flour and

used to make flatbread and porridge,

which is like oatmeal. The stems of

barley plants are used as bedding and

food for farm animals.

#More to explore

Grain • Grass

Barracuda

Barracudas are among the fiercest fish in

tropical waters. They circle around

groups of smaller fish until the fish

huddle together in fear. The barracudas

then dive in and slash the fish with their

teeth. The species, or type, called the

great barracuda will sometimes even

attack human swimmers.

There are about 20 species of barracuda.

They live in warmer parts of the Atlantic

and Pacific oceans, including the Caribbean

Sea. Fishers often catch them for

sport and food. But barracudas that live

in some seas can be poisonous.

Barracudas have long mouths filled with

large, knifelike teeth. Their slender,

powerful bodies help them swim fast.

They have two fins on the back and

small scales on the body. Barracudas

average about 3 to 4 feet (1 meter) in

length. The great barracuda can reach a

length of 8 feet (2 meters).

Barracudas travel far in search of food.

They eat mainly smaller fish, such as

mullets, anchovies, and grunts.

#More to explore

Fish

Barton, Clara

Clara Barton was called “the angel of the

battlefield” for her work tending to

wounded soldiers in the American Civil

War. Later she organized the American

Red Cross to aid the victims of all wars

and disasters.

Clarissa Harlowe Barton was born on

December 25, 1821, in Oxford, Massachusetts.

She was educated at home. As

a young woman she taught school in

Massachusetts and New Jersey.

When the American Civil War began in

1861, Barton heard that Union

(Northern) soldiers were suffering and

dying because there were not enough

bandages and other medical supplies.

She organized a private agency to buy

supplies. Starting in 1862 she herself

worked as an unpaid nurse, aiding the

wounded where they fell. After the war

she led an effort to track down missing

soldiers.

Clara Barton

helped the

United States

to agree to

the Geneva

Convention.

The convention

was an

agreement

that protected

wounded

soldiers.

Barracuda

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Barton, Clara 29

 

Some people in Europe also wanted to

help soldiers wounded in battle. In 1863

these people founded the International

Red Cross. In 1870, while Barton was

staying in Europe, a war broke out

between France and Germany. Barton

tended the wounded under the Red

Cross banner. She also studied how the

organization worked.

Barton returned home in 1873 and

worked to organize a branch of the Red

Cross in the United States. She succeeded

in 1881. Barton was head of the

American Red Cross for 23 years. She

expanded the mission of the organization

to include helping victims of disasters

in peacetime as well as in war. In

1904 Barton retired. She died on April

12, 1912.

#More to explore

American CivilWar • Red Cross and

Red Crescent

Base

#see Acid and Base.

Baseball

The sport of baseball has been called the

national pastime of the United States.

Each spring millions of fans look forward

to the beginning of a new baseball

season. Baseball is also popular in many

Latin American and Asian countries,

especially Japan. The game is played

with a bat and a fist-sized ball. Two

teams of nine players compete against

each other. The goal is to score the most

points, which are called runs.

Playing Area and Equipment

A baseball field is divided into an infield

and an outfield.Within the infield is a

square area called the diamond. There

are four bases, one on each corner of the

diamond. One base is called home plate.

The others are called first, second, and

third base. The bases are 90 feet (about

27 meters) apart. The outfield is a grassy

area beyond the infield. A wall usually

marks the outer boundary of the outfield.

Clara Barton

A Boston Red Sox player bats during the

2004 World Series against the Saint Louis

Cardinals.

30 Base BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA