118 CHAPTER VII 



and wilted, the toxin largely disappears. No cases have been 

 found of prussic-acid poisoning of stock fed on sorghum silage. 



Uses. — In South Africa, the grain is used chiefly as food 

 for the natives. In America, it is used mainly as food for 

 stock, being ground before being fed, but its use as a human 

 food is increasing. 



In America and Europe, the seed is used extensively as a 

 poultry feed. 



Its use as silage and forage has been shown. The sac- 

 charine sorghums are used for forage, and seem well adapted 

 for that purpose, as several cuttings can be obtained in one 

 season. In humid parts, Ontario, etc., the sorghums are also 

 used for pasturage, either alone or mixed with millets or oats. 



In Asia their uses are most varied, the seed being used as 

 human food and the stems for thatching, building, mats, fuel, 

 rafts, etc. 



The cultivation of the saccharine sorghums was really 

 begun in America originally for syrup making, 1,200 pounds 

 of juice being obtained from one ton of cane. Syrup is still 

 made, but the practice is rapidly decreasing. It was also grown 

 for this purpose by the Boer pioneers in the early days. 



Broom Corn. — The cultural methods are similar to those 

 described for the grain sorghums. The brush should be bright 

 green, with a short rachis, long, flexible and tough. The dis- 

 tance in rows, two to four inches, is much closer than for milo 

 or kafifir. The crop is harvested quite green, or soon after the 

 full bloom stage. The heads are threshed a few days after 

 harvesting, after which the brushes are cured and dried and 

 then baled. The seed may be used as a stock food, but on 

 account of its immaturity and the adhering glumes, is not 

 nearly as valuable as that of the grain sorghums. 



Several varieties have been grown in the Union, and fac- 

 tories at different centres for the manufacture of brooms have 

 been in operation for many years. Probably owing to the 

 labour entailed, and lack of experience, the manufacturers 

 have found great difficulty in getting farmers to go in for 

 broom-corn culture, and consequently the brush is imported 

 from America. At present the demand for brush exceeds the 

 supply, prices varying from £40 to £80 per ton. 



Improvement. — Probably no crop in South Africa has been 

 so neglected. Little or no selection has taken place, varieties 

 have not been properly identified or appreciated, and their 

 place as a dry-land farming crop has not been sufiiciently recog- 

 nised (except by natives). , 



