110 CHAPTER VII 



" The results of this study show that corresponding parts 

 of the kaffir and maize kernels resemble each other in com- 

 position and appearance, and lead us to believe that if kaffir 

 were handled in a manner similar to that used in the prepara- 

 tion of maize products, kaffir products might be substituted 

 for the corresponding maize products." 



The colour of the seed varies considerably with the varie- 

 ties, white, black, red, and yellow being the most common 

 colours. 



Ste7tis. — The stems vary from 4 to 15 feet, and from | to 

 2 inches in thickness. They may be juicy or dry ; in the 

 former the juice is easily extracted by crushing or chewing — 

 the difference in actual water content is small. Those having 

 very juicy pith are the canes or forage sorghums, the grain 

 sorghums having a pith less juicy and not sweet. 



Tillers. — Appear as in maize, being governed largely by 

 spacing, temperature, soil fertility, variety and soil moisture. 



Branches. — With very thin planting, branching may occur 

 beginning from latent ])uds, that of the topmost node being 

 the one always to develop first. Because the heads on these 

 branches mature later than those on the main branch, they 

 are undesirable, and planting should be thick enough to inhibit 

 this tendency. 



Leaves. — These are short and broad, coarse in texture, 

 roll together in an erect fashion, which apparently protects 

 them from hot winds and protracted drought. The most 

 drought-resistant kinds are the most scanty-leaved. 



Roots. — These feed more in the surface soil than maize. 



The most outstanding characteristic of the sorghums is 

 their drought resistance, which is attributed to the resistance 

 of the leaves to dry, hot, and windy weather; the non- 

 saccharine sorghums being more resistant than the forage or 

 saccharine kinds. Their capacity to remain almost dormant 

 during drought, and then to continue growth immediately with 

 the improvement of the weather, enables the crop to with- 

 stand drought better than maize, which, if once severely 

 checked, will never entirely recover. 



In the early stages, sorghums are slower growing than 

 maize. 



Sorghums are perfect-flowered, and are usually self- 

 fertilised, although cross-fertilisation is very common, and 

 crosses between the most widely differing types occur quite 

 frequently. 



