CHAPTER XXIX 



SORGHUMS 



SORGHUM, like the corn plant, is of tropical origin, its original 

 home apparently being central or northern Africa. There is also 

 some evidence that some types may also have had an independent 

 origin in India. From these tropical regions its culture has spread 

 into temperate zones, until we find it cultivated extensively in Man- 

 churia in a latitude of 40 north and in the south temperate zone 

 in the very southern part of Africa. 



Where Sorghums Are Produced, We have very little pub- 

 lished data on sorghum as a world crop, but it is known to be ex- 

 tensively cultivated through all North Africa, where it probably 

 ranks as the leading grain crop. It is also grown extensively as a 

 grain crop in South Africa. In India sorghum is also a very im- 

 portant grain crop, and is stated by some authors as the principal 

 grain food of the poor. Sorghum probably ranks next to rice as a 

 grain crop in India. It is cultivated to some extent throughout 

 China, and in certain parts of North China and Manchuria is an 

 important grain crop. ' Its culture is not important in Europe. 



In the United States sorghum is grown for syrup making, as a 

 forage plant, and as a grain crop. It will be noted that in Africa 

 and Asia sorghum is grown principally as a grain crop. 



As a syrup crop sorghum is grown largely in the East Central 

 States, or rather the belt of States from Missouri to North Carolina 

 and south of the Ohio River. Tennessee is the leading State in 

 syrup production. 



As a grain and forage crop sorghum is grown principally in the 

 belt of States lying east of the Rocky Mountains, and from the 

 Nebraska-Dakota line south through Texas. As a grain crop 

 sorghum is grown principally in the western part of these States, 

 while it is grown for forage through the whole area. 



Broom corn is also a sorghum. About two-thirds of the broom 

 corn is grown in Illinois, and about all the rest in Nebraska, Kansas, 

 Missouri, and Oklahoma. 

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