VAKIETIES OF SORGHIDI CULTIVATED LN' THE UXITED STATES. 73 



CHAPTER IV. 



{a.) Yarieties of sorghum cultivated in the United States. 

 (6.) Signification of the names of the varieties of sorghum, 

 (c.) Table for identification of varieties. 

 (<?.) Comparison of sorghums from difierent countries. 



VAKIETIES OF SORGHUM CULTIVATED EN* THE UNITED STATES. 



Duiii>G the seasons of 1879, '80, '81, and '82, there were received, 

 at the Department of Agriculture, the seed of very many distinct va- 

 rieties of sorghum, from difierent parts of the country ; and these have 

 been cultivated, and subjected to a careful examination, during the 

 entire period of their growth, for the purpose of determining their 

 actual and relative value for sugar production. lu the case of many 

 of them, cultivation and examination were continued during the four 

 vears ; and since the several varieties of seed were planted on the same 

 plat of ground, and upon the .same day, and were subject to the same 

 climatic conditions during growth, their relative value, under the con- 

 ditions of climate prevailing at Washington, is established. What 

 the>e conditions of soil and climate were, will be presented in another 

 chajiter. 



It often happened that the same variety of sorghum seed was re- 

 ceived from several localities, under as many different names ; as, for 

 example, the same seed came as Chinese, Liberian, Oomseeana, 

 Sumac, Imphee ; aud, it is interesting to observe, that its origin was, 

 bv one referred to China, and by another to Liberia, West Africa ; 

 although I find no record of any sorghum seed having been received 

 from any other African locality than Xatal, in South Africa. 



!Many other samples of seed were obtained, which, upon being culti- 

 vated, produced plants very closely resembling eacii other, if, indeed, 

 they were not identical. It is quite probable that the slight diflerences 

 existing between the so-called Honduras, Mastodon, Honey Top, Honey 

 Cane, Sprangle Top, and Texas Cane, are the result of variation pro- 

 duced by the different climates* and soils in which these canes have 

 been grown during the past thirty-four years, since their introduction 

 by Mr. Wray. 



The same appears true of those varieties known as the Early Oi-ange, 

 Orange, Wolf Tail, Gray Top, each of which bears a close resemblance 

 to the Xeeazana, another of 3Ir. Wray's original importations. So, too-, 



