For the Southern States . 135 
being excellent food for both man and beast, it certainly deserves to 
be considered one of the most valuable cereals, and is worthy of the 
attention of every farmer in the South. Even as feed for chickens 
nothin" is its equal. 
During the last two or three years a variety, which experience 
shows to be radically different from those above described, has been 
sent out by the enterprising proprietors of the Rural New Yorker. 
The seed heads of this variety, popularly known as the “Rural Branch¬ 
ing Sorghum,” are borne upright, in a vertical position, while the heads 
of the others are mainly drooping, bending downwards in a graceful 
curve. Also, the seeds of the Branching variety are somewhat smaller 
and more spherical than in the other kinds. In addition the seed ma¬ 
ture much more slowly, but in ample time to be harvested in the lower 
Gulf States before frost. The stalk growth of the “Rural Branching” 
variety is far larger than that of the others, being in fact as large as 
that of large Southern Corn ; while it obtains a height of from 15 to 16 
feet on very ordinary piney-woods lands. The leaf also is fully as 
large as that of Indian Corn, thus producing more fodder by at least 
one-fourth than Indian Corn on the same land. This variety, more¬ 
over, tillers or suckers at the ground enormously, each seed produ¬ 
cing from three to a dozen stalks, and sometimes more. When once 
well under way, it can be cut for green soiling oftener, and will yield 
at each cutting far more fodder than the other varieties. It suckers 
and tillers more and more the oftener it is cut; and, so far, it exceeds 
greatly in yield of green fodder and hay any of the familiar fodder 
plants, not excepting perhaps even the Pearl Millet. The “Rural 
Branching” variety is, therefore, more valuable as a forage plant to 
be cut for green soiling, or for curing as hay. This variety should bo 
planted exclusively in drills four feet apart, and not nearer than 18 to 
20 inches in the drill, on account of its mammoth growth. All these 
varieties are annuals. 
THE JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE. 
(Helianthus Tuberosus.) 
By E. M. Hudson. 
Used as a vegetable, the Jerusalem Artichoke makes a delicious 
pickle; and when cooked, as hereafter directed, it is esteemed by con¬ 
noisseurs as a luxury. 
Wash and scrape or pare them ; boil in milk and water till they are 
soft, which will bo from fifteen to thirty minutes. Take them out and 
stew them for a few minutes in a sauce made by rolling a bit of butter 
of the size of a walnut in flour, mixed with half a pint of cream or 
milk, and seasoned with pepper, salt, or grated nutmeg. 
It is as a forage or root crop, however, that the Artichoke possesses 
unusual merits for the farmer. Its habit may be styled self-propa¬ 
gating, for when once established it is almost perpetual; and this 
gives it a peculiar value. It will grow on exceedingly poor land and 
