228 FIELD CROP PRODUCTION 



same way as timothy, although a little more difficulty 

 may be experienced in curing it. 



THE SORGHUMS 



Cultivated sorghums have been derived from a wild 

 grass, Sorghum halepense, which may be found growing 

 in tropical and semi-tropical parts of the Eastern Hemi- 

 sphere. Sometime in the distant past varieties of this 

 grass were found to be useful to man as food. Selection 

 of the best individuals for seed through all of the succeed- 

 ing generations has greatly changed the progeny from the 

 original form of the grass, and increased their value. The 

 sorghums of to-day, therefore, like many of our other 

 cultivated crops, owe their present form and great useful- 

 ness to long years of selection. How long ago and by 

 what people sorghums were first used is not known. 

 Mention of them in the ancient records of the people 

 living in the valleys of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, 

 and in India and Egypt, indicate that they are among the 

 oldest of cultivated plants. 



225. General description. While there are three 

 main classes of sorghums, and many varieties of each 

 class, they all have certain characters in common. The 

 sorghums have a strong, fibrous root system and are 

 known as plants with great feeding capacity and a general 

 ability to withstand drought, some varieties being espe- 

 cially adapted to sections with little rainfall. The culms 

 are tall, varying in height from four to twelve feet. In 

 appearance the plants are much like corn, and like those 

 of corn, the culms are solid. The leaves are long, but not 

 so wide as those of corn, and they have a glossier appear- 

 ance. The inflorescence, or head, is carried at the top 

 of the stem, and varies in shape from a rather compact 



