6 BULLETIN 383, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
WHITE MILO. 
The exact origin of White milo is in doubt, but it seems probable 
that the variety as it is now being grown in the United States origi- 
nated from certain importations of sorghums from India. Several 
sorghums very similar in character to the common "White milo were 
included in a shipment received by the United States Department 
of Agriculture in 1903, and it is easy to believe that such differences 
as exist in the two forms may have come about through a process of 
seed selection carried on bv farmers. 
Fig. 4. — Second cutting of the two new varieties of feterita at Chillicothe, Tex., in 1914. 
Dwarf feterita (at the left) and Improved feterita (at the right). The first cutting 
was removed on July 25. Photographed October 15. 
In the early history of sorghums in this country the name White 
milo, or more often " "White milo maize," was associated with " Rural 
Branching sorghum." This sorghum, however, from descriptions 
and specimens preserved, proves to be a kafir rather than a milo. The 
present strain, on the contrary, is a true milo, having the transverse 
corrugations on the glume and other distinctive marks of the milo 
group. True White mile appears to have been grown locally in 
northern Texas for several years, but its history in this locality is 
vague. Seed of what appeared to be a dwarf strain of this true 
White milo was obtained in 1911 by Mr. G. E. Thompson, at that 
time superintendent of the Forage-Crop Field Station at Chillicothe, 
Tex. This strain (F. C I., No. 5886) has been grown at that sta- 
tion with good results since that time, but like the Dwarf feterita it 
does not appear to maintain its dwarf characteristics without con- 
tinued selection. 
