FOK THE SOUTHEIIN STATER. 



119 



DESCRIPTIVE LIST 



OF SOME VARIETIES OF THE SORGHUM FAMILY. 



Ad a forage plant for early cutting, to be fed 

 to stock, I do not think that anything is equal 

 t.> t'ae Amber Sorghum, such as I have been 

 selling for years, imported from Kansas. After 

 several cuttings, the branching varieties of 

 Sorghum, also called Millo Maize, may be pre- 

 ferable, but more so for seed than forage. — 

 The Teosinte will give more fodder than any 

 of the Sorghums. Some varieties not before 

 described and rather new here are the following: 



Yellow Millow Maize, or Yellow Branching 

 Dhouro, grows same as the White Branching 



kind. The onlj' diiierence exists in the size of 

 the seed, which is twice the siiie of the white 

 variety. — It is said to be somewhat ejirlier, 

 seeds planted in April will ripen seed in July. 

 — On account of its branching habit this grain 

 should be planted in four or five foot rows, 

 and two to three feet in the drill, according to 

 the strength of the land, two plants in a hill. 

 The cultivation is like corn. 



Price, 10c. per lb. ; postage extra, 8c. per 

 lb. by mail — 15 lbs. $2.00 by Express or 

 Steamer. 



KAFFIR CORN 



This grain was distributed in small quanti- 

 ties from the Georgia State Department of 

 Agriculture in 1878, and in the hands of Br. 

 J. H. Watkins, of Palmetto, Campbell County, 

 Gau, it has been preserved and fully developed, 

 find was first brought to public notice through 

 him in 1885. The seed offered for sale is from 

 his own growing, the genuine and pure stock ; 

 crop of 1890. 



It is a variety of Sorghum, none Saccharine, 

 and distinctly difcering in habit of growth and 

 other characteristics from all others of that 

 class. The plant is low, stocks perfectly erect, 

 the foliage is wide, alt6rnating closely on either 

 side of the stalks. 



It does not stool from the root, but branches 

 from the top joints, producing from two to 

 four heads of grain from each stalk. The 

 heads are long, narrow and perfectly erect, 

 well filled with white grain, which at maturity 

 is slightly flecked with red or reddish brown 

 spots. Weight, 60 lbs. per bushel. 



The average height of growth on good 

 strong land, 5i to 6 feet; on thin land, 4| to 5 

 feet. The stalk is stout, never blown about 

 by winds, never tangles, and is always man- 

 ageable, easily handled. A boy can gather the 

 grain heads or the fodder. The seed heads 

 grow from 10 to 12 inches in length, and pro- 

 duct of gi-ain on good land easily reaches 50 to 



It has the quality common to many Sorg- 

 hums of resisting drought. If the growth is 

 checked by want of moisture, the plant waits 

 for rain, and then at once resumes the pro- 

 cesses, and in the most disastrous sejxsons has 

 not failed so far to make its crop. On very thin 

 and worn lands, it yields paying crops of gTain 

 and forage, even in dry seasons in which com 

 has utterly failed, on the same lands. 



The whole stalk, as well as the blades, cures 

 into excellent fodder, and in all stages of its 

 growth is available for green feed, cattle, mules 

 and horses being equally fond of it, and its 

 quality not surpassed by any other known 

 variety. If cut down to the ground two or 

 more shoots spring from the root and the 

 growth is thus maintained until checked by 

 frost. 



The Kafiir Corn may be planted in the lat- 

 ter part of March, or early in April. It bears 

 earlier planting than other Millets or Sorg- 

 hums. It should be put in rows not over 

 three feet apart, even on best land, and ^ 

 bears thicker planting than any other rarie^ 

 of Sorghum; should be massed in the drill 

 on good land, for either green or forage 

 purposes, and also on thin land, if forage 

 mainly is desired. No plant can equal it for 

 quality and quantity of grain and forage on 

 thin lands. Use 3 to 5 lbs. of seed per acre. 

 Price of seed, 10c. yer lb. ; postage extra, 8c. 

 per lb. by mail; lots of 15 lbs. for $1.00. 



60 bushels per acre 



TEOS8^STE. 



( lieana luxurians.J 

 This is a forage plant from Central America. ! seed to germinate. He prefers planting in 

 it resembles Indian Corn in aspect and vege- i rows, as giving a heavier crop than when in 

 tation; but produces a great number of shoots j hills, and as its growth during the first month 

 3 to 4 yards high; it is perennial, but only in j is very slow, he gives it a good hoeing for its 

 such situations where the thermometer does first cultivation, using only the plow there- 



not fall below freezing point. Cultivated as an 

 annual, it will yield a most abundant crop of 

 excellent green fodder. 



Considering the Teosinte a superior forage 

 plant, the following extract of a letter from 

 Mr. Chas. Debremond of Thibodeaux, La., 

 will give additional light on the cultivation of 

 same. — In describing his experience with Teo- 

 sinte, he advises plantir g the seed in Febru- 

 ary, so as to have the plants up early in 

 March, as it takes some 14 or 20 days for the 



after. 



He also advises cutting the stalks for green 

 food when about 4 feet high, and specially 

 recommends cutting them close to the ground, 

 as tending to make a much heavier second 

 growth than when cut higher. His horses, 

 mules and cattle eat the stalks with great 

 avidity, lea\'ing no part unconsumed, and pre- 

 fer it much to green Indian Corn or Sorghum. 



Price, $1.00 per lb. ; 30c. per J lb., 15c. per 

 oz. Postage prepaid. 



