ANNUAL FORAGE GRASSES 1 29 



tinct variety allied to Sudan grass. Both the latter are 

 used for forage. Kafir and milo are used for both 

 forage and grain. 



Botanical Names. — Holcus Sorghum L. The. name 

 Holcus has been referred to under Johnson grass. The 

 specific name, Sorghum, is of Italian origin and was the 

 name by which it was known in Europe during the 

 Middle Ages. Some botanists include this genus in the 

 large genus Andropogon, in this case, calling it Andro- 

 pogon Sorghum (L.) Brot. Chicken corn is Holcus 

 Sorghum Drummondii (Nees) Hitchc. {Andropogon 

 Sorghum Drummondii Piper) . 



Description. — Stems stout, erect, pithy, dry or juicy, 

 sometimes growing to the height of lo feet or even more, 

 annual or in warm countries persisting, but not produc- 

 ing rootstocks; leaves broad, sometimes as much as 2 

 inches or even more ; panicle open or condensed , oval or 

 oblong, the stalk upright or bent in the form of a crook. 



Broom corn has an open panicle with long, stiff, naked 

 branches. 



Kafir has a dense oblong panicle on an erect stalk, 

 and comparatively low stout stems, mostly 4 or 5 feet 

 tall. 



Milo has dense panicles, usually short or ovate, some- 

 times on curved stalks, the stems usually taller than 

 those of Kafir. 



Sudan grass has slender stems and a loose open panicle. 

 This plant looks more like a large Johnson grass but 

 differs in having an annual root without rootstocks. 



Durra has compact panicles and strongly flattened 

 seeds. 



