112 CHAPTER VII 



General Xotes on Varieties. — Of the saccharine sor- 

 ghums, Early Amber Cane is the earliest and one of the most 

 prolific yielders of forage. 



Sudan Grass is dealt with fully in the chapter on Grasses. 



Of the non-saccharine sorghums Milo and Kowliang, 

 Feterita, and Dwarf Negari, are the earliest, the latter matur- 

 ing in some localities from 85 to 95 days. Milo is one of the 

 most drought-resistant and heaviest seed-yielding varieties. It 

 is immune from kernel and head smut, and is three weeks 

 earlier than Kaffir. It is of very little use as forage. Most 

 milos have recurved necks. 



Kaffir. — Is later in maturing ; a heavy seed yielder, and 

 fairly valuable for forage or ensilage. The grain is smaller than 

 the Milos or Durras, but is less liable to shatter. 



Shallu. — Somewhat resembles Broom-corn in having open 

 panicles. It is grown chiefly for grain, but has a fair forage 

 value. 



Feterita. — Matures about a week earlier than Milo ; is a 

 very heavy yielder of seed, but has a too strong tendency to 

 branch . 



Durras. — Are better adapted for grain production than the 

 Kaffirs, but are not so well suited for forage purposes. They 

 have large flat kernels, and are nearly all goose-necked. 



BOTANICAL CLASSIFICATION. (6) 



Order. — Graminece. 

 Tribe. — Andropogonece. 

 Genus. — Andropogan. 

 Species. — A. Sorghum var. vulgare. 



Ball has suggested the following classification as a 

 key to the principal groups of sorghum : — 

 I. — Pith juicy. 



(A) Juice abundant and very sweet. 



(1) Internodes elongated ; sheaths scarcely over- 

 lapping ; leaves 12 — 15 (except in Amber varieties) ; 

 spikelets elliptic-oval to obovate, 2"5 to 3'5 mm. wide ; 

 seeds, reddish-brown. — I. Sorgo. 



(B) Juice scanty, slightly sweet to sub-acid. 



(1) Internodes short ; sheaths strongly overlapping ; 

 leaves 12 — 15, peduncles erect; panicles cylindrical; 

 spikelets obovate ; 3 to 4 mm. wide ; lemmas awn- 

 less. — II. Kaffir. 



