594 [Assembly 



called ''Dora," or "Dourali," in France "Sorgho blanc," or "Dou- 

 ra," in the British West Indies "Guinea corn," in the United 

 States "Dourah corn, and "Tennessee rice." It will grow to per- 

 fection from Pennsylvania to Texas, and doubtless would mature 

 its seeds in most of the Western States south of Iowa. There are 

 two distinct varieties of this corn cultivated with us, namely, the 

 " White" and the " Reddish-brown." They are readily distin- 

 guished by the color of the seeds. The brown is preferred to the 

 white, as it is more prolific in grain, which matures earlier and 

 yields four times as much. The white is so late in maturing tiiat 

 the frost destroys much of it, and it ' yields so little grain, com- 

 pared with the brown, that our planters have almost abandoned 

 its culture. The meal, or flour, of the white is much lighter 

 colored and nicer in appearance than that of the brown, the latter 

 being dark colored by the j)ericarp and chaff. Both varieties 

 grow well until checked by frost. 



This plant grows well on the poorest soils, but makes the best 

 crops on those which are light, rich, sandy loams, or rich, black 

 lime-stone soils. The land is plowed into ridges, from three to 

 four feet apart, just before the time of planting. In March, April 

 and May, and sometimes in June and July, these ridges are opened 

 with a plow, and the seed either sown and covered with a har- 

 row from an inch to one and a half inches deep. It is also sown 

 broadcast, and covered with a harrow. In some instances, it is 

 planted in the missing hills of Indian corn. From a peck to a 

 bushel of seed is sown to the acre. Plenty of seed, however, must 

 be put in to secure a stand. If it is much weevil-eaten, and then 

 covered too deep, it does not come up well. After it comes lip, 

 it will grow in spite of the frost, rain or drought, being a very 

 hardy plant. When sown broadcast, it need not be worked at 

 all. If drilled, it is chopped with hoes to a stand and plowed 

 once, unless drilled for soiling, when it is not thinned out. If 

 planted with Indian corn, it is cultivated with it. It needs but 

 little culture. After it gets a start, it defies weeds and grass, and 

 will make a crop in spite of every disaster. In the Southern 

 states this corn .will yield from 10 to 100 bushels of seed to the 

 acre, according to the quality of the land and mode of culture. 



