52 THE BOOK OF USEFUL PLANTS 



mind hot winds that shrivel the corn. The 

 Kafir has its head erect; the Durra hangs its head. 

 Thus, when one sees a field of stocky canes, like 

 dwarf species of corn, the close, oval heads loaded 

 with seeds, it is easy to tell if it is Kafir or Durra, 

 the bold or the bashful one, the South African or 

 the Egyptian "corn." 



The seeds of these giant grasses are rich in 

 starch, and in the Dark Continent are used as 

 human food, as well as fodder, pasture, and dry 

 grain for cattle. It was a shrewd traveller who 

 brought the seeds to farmers on our western fron- 

 tier where each soon proved itself a patient grass 

 in a trying situation. Instead of succumbing to 

 the drought and heat, the immigrant rolls its 

 leaves up into the smallest compass, and calls a 

 halt on all activities. When the spell of weather 

 passes, and rain falls, the leaves unroll, and growth 

 goes forward, just as if there had been no check. 



Kafir has a reputation as poultry food, and 

 ground into meal is a valuable part of the ration 

 of fattening stock. The "yellow milo," a dwarf 

 durra, is a great fodder crop in California and the 

 hot, dry Southwest. If planted thinly, the stalks 

 will "stool" like wheat, thus multiplying the crop 

 by increasing the number of stalks. 



A half-grown crop of durra or kafir makes good 



