98 SORGHUM. 



SYNOPTICAI TABLE OF THE VARIETIES OF SORGHUM CULTIVATED AT 

 THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE DURING THE YEARS 1879-80- 



81-82. 



The following table can not claim any great degree of botanical ac- 

 curacy, as it has been worked out from single dry heads, and without 

 a careful comparison of the varieties growing iu the field. It is be- 

 lieved, however, that it will be of great assistance in aiding the prac- 

 tical farmer to distinguish, with the aid of the illustrations, whatever 

 variety he may have under cultivation. 



It is based upon a similar table prepared by Mr. F. Peck, and pub- 

 lished in the Annual Report of the Department of Agriculture, 1865 : 



The Ripe Grain. 

 I. Longer than the glumes (husks). 

 (A.) Panicle or head dense. 

 1. Glumes black. 



a. Inconspicuous. 



Liherian, or Imphee. 



Head short, 6 to 7 inches long, dense, cylindrical, ob- 

 tuse; general color dark brown. 

 Glumes small, obtuse, black shining; outer one hairy on 



the margin. 

 Seed smallest of all varieties, round, obtuse, tapering to 

 the base ; hilum or point of attachment of a lighter 

 color and prominent. 

 6. Conspicuous. 



Seeds brown; effect of head black. (Grain at times 

 hardly longer than the glumes.) 



Oomseeana. 



Head slender, erect, 8 to 9 inches long; branches closely 



appressed, but not dense. 

 Glumes black, pointed; outer one keeled, smooth and 



open. 

 Seed deep brown, and visible between the open 

 glumes ; plane convex, acute at both ends. 

 Black Top. 



Head larger and broader than the preceding, blacker 

 and more dense; seed lighter. 

 Bear Tail 



Denser head and longer glumes than in preceding, re- 

 sembling in some respects a compacted Early Amber. 

 Iowa Red Top. 



An Oomseeana cane, with large, prominent seeds and 



smaller glumes. 

 Seeds white. 



