CHAPTER VI 
THE KAFIR CORNS AND DOURAS 
THE genus Sorghum, one of the grass family, 
contains three rather distinct classes of plants: 
(1) The sweet or saccharine forms, the plants 
usually known as “sorghum” among farmers; (2) 
the non-saccharine fodder sorghums; (3) broom- 
corn (wholly distinct from the broom-corn millet 
described in the last chapter). All these various 
sorghums are considered to be forms of one vari- 
able species, Sorghum vulgare or Andropogon Sor- 
ghum, native to the Old World. 
The non-saccharine fodder sorghums include all 
the douras (spelled also dhoura and durra), Egypt- 
tian corn, milo maize, kafir corn. There is no one 
name that is now used to designate this group, 
but kafir corn is now best known and is thought 
by some to be destined to become the popular 
class name, although doura is the oldest and 
most attractive name. The kafir corns bear’ a 
contracted dense panicle or head, in distinction 
from the long, wisp-like heads of the broom-corn; 
some of the sweet sorghums bear drooping heads, 
but they are chiefly distinguished by their sweet 
juice. Of the kafir corns there are two groups, 
—kafir corn proper, with erect, rather long heads 
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