8 BKOOM-COKN AND BKOOMS. 



grain-bearing kinds has a sweet juice, but this goes to 

 form tha s graiiij Wd ^6^i Disappears ; by long cultiva- 

 tion wj^h O a, yie w t only to t tJiQ quality of the juice, the 

 seeds' are. Icsjrt abundant :an/l contain less starch, and while 

 in the grain-bearing plants the head is so full and heavy 

 as to bend over the top of the stalk and hang down, in 

 the sugar-cane varieties the seed cluster is slender and 

 usually erect ; there are also sub-varieties of this. In 

 the Broom-corn varieties, neither the grain or the quality 

 of the sap are the objects sought for, but a special and 

 unusual development of the stems of the flower or seed- 

 cluster ; it makes no difference if it bear few or no seed 

 provided these stems are long and fine. We cannot learn 

 that Sorghum vulgare has been cultivated as a broom-mak- 

 ing material in any other country than the United States 

 until recently. It is said to be cultivated now for this 

 purpose in Italy, France, and Germany. 



DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT. 



Broom-corn is an annual grass with a general resem- 

 blance to Indian corn, but has narrower leaves, and in- 

 stead of having its male and female flowers in separate 

 places like the corn, with its tassels and ears, both kinds 

 of flowers are in the cluster at the top. The flowers are 

 of two kinds ; one is perfect, i. e., with both stamens 

 and pistil, and seated directly upon the branch; each 

 perfect flower is accompanied by an imperfect one, which 

 is raised up on a little stalk ; this consists either of emp- 

 ty husks, or bears stamens only, but can produce no 

 seed, and falls early. The seed, or rather the husk 

 which encloses the seed, is flattened-egg-shape, shin- 

 ing, with very fine hairs scattered over it. The stems 

 of the panicle or flower-cluster are the valuable por- 

 tion, all else being incidental ; the main branches 

 should be as uniform as possible in size, elastic and 



