30 



HISTORY AND DISTRIBUTION OF SORGHUM. 



have grown in various countries. From these varieties have descended 



most of the sorgos now grown in the United States. 



With these two importations was inaugurated a long series of 



thorough and expensive experiments in making sugar and alcohol 



from sorghum, 

 which c ontinued 

 without interruption 

 for thirty years. 

 During the progress 

 of similar work in 

 America, large quan- 

 tities of the seed of 

 our leading sac- 

 c h a rine varieties 

 were sent from here to 

 Spain and other parts 

 of southern Europe. 

 Neither these nor 

 Mr. Wray's original 

 importations seem to 

 have persisted there 

 in cultivation as 

 pure varieties. 



At the present 

 time few varieties 

 are to be found in 

 Europe, and these 

 are usually very 

 badly raixe d. A 

 rather large, some- 

 what saccharine 

 variety, with spike- 

 lets m uch as i n 

 Gooseneck sorgo, but 

 w T ith a compact, ob- 

 ovate, erect, black 

 head, is found in 

 Germany, France, 

 and Austria. It is 



Fir.. 14. — Head of Holcus niger, after Arduino, 1786. quite different from 



any variety now grown in the United States and is probably a rem- 

 nant of the importation from Natal. Some Amber and Orange sor- 

 ghum can still be found in France and Spain. It is probable that the 

 blood of a number of the different saccharine varieties is mingled in the 

 variable and often worthless hybrids now found in southern Europe. 



175 



