LABORATORY MANUAL IN FIELD CROPS 31 



PRACTICUM NO. 24 



Object. A Study of the General Characteristics and Impor- 

 tance of the Common Sorghums. 



Materials. Dried plants, panicles, seeds of the most im- 

 portant sorghums. 



Method. Make a study of the samples and write a 

 report. 



STUDIES 



1. Name three general groups of sorghums according to the 

 products obtained from them. Name three plants in each 

 group. 



2. Describe and compare the inflorescence of the sorghums 

 with that of the wheat. 



3. How does the composition of the kernel compare with 

 that of corn? Would it be more or less valuable, pound for 

 pound, as food? 



4. Discuss briefly the following plants related to the sor- 

 ghums : Sudan grass ( Year Book 1912) ; Johnson grass ; 

 Kafir corn; Milo maize; Broom corn (Bailey's Cyclopedia of 

 American Agriculture, Vol. 2, pp. 367-380). 



5. Make a rough sketch of a sorghum panicle to show the 

 principal parts. 



REFERENCES 



United States Department of Agriculture, Year Book 1912. 



Bailey's Cyclopedia of American Agriculture, Vol. 2, pp. 367-380. 



Farmers' Bulletins, No. 322, Milo Maize; No. 246, Saccharine Sor- 

 ghums ; No. 458, Sweet Sorghums for Forage ; No. 448, Sorghums 

 for Grain ; No. 288, Non-saccharine Sorghums ; No. 50, Sorghums 

 as Forage ; No. 174, Broom Corn. 



