CHAPTER XXV 



THE NON-SACCHARINE SORGHUMS 



231, The non-saccharine sorghums, with the exception 

 of broom-corn, are often called grain sorghums because 

 their principal value is as grain producers rather than as 

 producers of forage. As a group, they constitute the most 

 drought-resistant grain and forage crops in cultivation. 

 The five principal types of the non-saccharine sorghums 

 are: (1) Kafir, (2) Durra, (3) Shallu, (4) KowHang, (5) 

 Broom-corn. 



Historical. — ■ The non-saccharine sorghums are very 

 generally cultivated throughout Africa, southwest Asia, 

 India, and Manchuria, but are not cultivated extensively 

 in Europe. In general, the kafir types dominate in South 

 Africa, the Durra types in North Africa, southwest Asia, 

 and India, and the Kowliang types in Manchuria. Shallu, 

 the least important of the five principal groups, is grown as 

 a winter crop in India, and the same tj^pe has been reported 

 as grown in a limited way in Madagascar and at several 

 points in Africa. 



232. The Durra group (spelled also dura, durah, doura, 

 dhoura, and other ways) is the most important in the Old 

 World. It should be noted, however, that there are three 

 general groups of the durra sorghums, only one of which 

 is important in the United States : (1) The types grown in 

 central and northeast Africa are tall, large-seeded, and 

 late-maturing, furnishing both forage and grain ; (2) those 



301 



