CHAPTER VI 

 THE KAFIR CORNS AND DOURAS 



The genus Sorghum, one of the grass family, 

 contains three rather distinct classes of plants : 

 (1) The sweet or saccharine forms, the plants 

 usually known as "sorghum" among farmers; (2) 

 the non- saccharine fodder sorghums; (3) broom- 

 corn (wholly distinct from the broom- corn millet 

 described in the last chapter). All these various 

 sorghums are considered to be forms of one vari- 

 able species, Sorghum vulgare or Andropogon Sor- 

 ghum, native to the Old World. 



The non-saccharine fodder sorghums include all 

 the douras (spelled also dhoura and durra) , Egypt- 

 ian corn, milo maize, kafir corn. There is no one 

 name that is now used to designate this group, 

 but kafir corn is now best known and is thought 

 by some to be destined to become the popular 

 class name, although doura is the oldest and 

 most attractive name. The kafir corns bear a 

 contracted dense panicle or head, in distinction 

 from the long, wisp-like heads of the broom-corn; 

 some of the sweet sorghums bear drooping heads, 

 but they are chiefly distinguished by their sweet 

 juice. Of the kafir corns there are two groups, 

 — kafir corn proper, with erect, rather long heads 



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