THE ANNUAL GRASSES 



235 



without thrashing, or the grain may be thrashed from 

 them by means of a thrasher. When cut with the binder, 

 they may be thrashed, as are the small grains, or fed in the 

 bundle. Almost all of the grain is used in the feeding of 



FIG. 82. Heading kafir in Texas. 



live stock, and it has a feeding value equal to rather more 

 than 90 per cent that of corn. The stalks are about equal 

 to corn stover in feeding value, and may be used as rough- 

 age. 



THE BROOMCORNS 



236. Description. The broomcorns differ from the 

 other sorghums principally in the shape of the head, which 

 is an umbelliform panicle made up of many long, tough 

 branches. After the immature seeds have been removed, 

 the panicle is called the " brush/' and when several pani- 

 cles are neatly tied with wire on the end of a long stick, 

 they become the broom which is indispensable to the house- 

 wife. Broomcorns are of two general types, namely, 

 standard and dwarf. Standard broomcorn is a tall plant 

 with brush from 20 to 28 inches in length. Dwarf broom- 



