6 
GRAINS, GRASSES AND VEGETABLES. 
The seed is double the size of that planted, much lighter 
in color and heavier. The bark is one of the most 
handy materials on the farm for tying purposes. Ramie, 
jute and cotton have been raised, but their period of ma¬ 
turity being too long, they failed to ripen either seed or 
fiber. 
OTHER PLANTS. 
BROOM CORN. 
As broom corn is so valuable and the seed in such 
demand, six different varieties have been experimented 
with for several years. None doing so well as the Ever¬ 
green, it was selected to be improved and the rest were 
discarded. By very careful selection of seed, the Ever¬ 
green has been made much better in all respects. All the 
poor seed heads were cut away before ripening to prevent 
crossing their poor qualities upon the best, and the best 
has been bred up by a continued selection until it has so 
improved that the brush is much longer, finer and 
straighter and of a brighter color. The red rust, so 
often seen on broom corn and the aphis so often found 
under the sheaths of the leaves, do not infest this im¬ 
proved variety nearly so much as the poorer kinds. 
KAFFIR CORN. 
The Kaffir corn is a species of sorghum, non-sacharine 
and drought proof. For feed, both foliage and seed are 
very valuable. Branching profusely like Teosinte, it 
makes an enormous crop of fodder by the middle of 
July. On being cut, another crop can be made before 
frost. It produces much more seed than sorghum, sin¬ 
gle heads making sometimes a pound. It is like Doura, 
but larger, and is most excellent for stock. In Georgia, 
very fine flour, it is said, is made of it and is nearly or 
quite as good and nutritious as that made of wheat. The 
seed was received from Africa. 
