The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1885-10-29

AGiaQCa OOuStltuBlp0.
We commend the following cor
respondence to the attention of our
farmers. Kaffin corn is new plant,
so far as this country is concerned,
and is destined to be fodder and
forage plant in all sections that are
adapted to dry stuff. Agriculture
is progressing, and nothing should
be rejected by the good farmer
simply because it is new. Every
thing that promises to better his
returns should be carefully studied.
Following is the correspondence:
PALMETTO, GA, June 10.
Hon j. T. Henderson, Commissioner of
agriculture, Atlanta, Ga:
Dear Sir: I would be much
pleased if you would examine the
records of your department and as
certain if Kaffin corn was distribut-
ed by your predecessor, DR.. James.
Several years ago l received some
seeds, either from him or from the
agricultural department at Wash
irgton, and in the lot was a small
envelope containing seeds with this
imprint: "Kaffin corn from Austra
lia." | have not seen this name in
print since, and as l am about ready
to report, / should like to know
where obtained it. The seed re-
semble very much those of milo
maize, and also those OF the Goose
neck, Dhoura or Egyptian corn. In
size, however, they are nearly twice
as large as the milo seed, besides
the milo are cream white in color,
with brown spots, while tue Kaffin
seed are pure white with reddish
spots. The plant is different in its
growth from any variety of this
class Of plants-an unique and dis
tinct type. 1t is stout, stocky and
short, rarely reaching six feet in
height on the best soils. Its usual
height on thin lands is three and q
half to four and a half feet. 1t is
very erect, and the head, which is
compact, long, well filed and heavy,
never drops. The blades are short,
thick, broad and thickly set upon
the stalk. 1t is not blown about by
the winds. 1t does not tiller or
sucker at all. 1t did not fill out
well for the first few years, but l
continued to grow it for forage, and
it has improved yearly in this re-
specL and is now more prolific in
grain than any plant of this family
known to me. l have been plant
ing small patches until this year,
but now l have given it a larger
area and intend giving better Guilt
walton and try the grain for milling
purposes. 1t is heavier than wheat
and one stroke upon the floor will
get out every grain without chaff or
other debris. Two crops can be cut,
in full bloom, in the cotton states,
from one planting, and some sea-
sons, by early planting, two crops
with ripe seed. 1t is as early as the
amber sorghum. 1t can be crowd
ed as you like in the row and will
still make a head with grain. 1t
cares less for dry weather than any
of its family. 1t is certainly supe-
rior to the milo in this, and 1 ought
to know, tor grew of the first milo
seed imported from South America
by Mr.. Pratt, and l am growing it
now-cnly one row, however, be-
side the Kaffin, to show the differ
ence.
1 will add that in. 1877, rs and
10 1 grew the Kaffin corn with
Egyptian wheat, ivory wheat or
chicken corn, as it is variously
termed, and Kaffin was found to be
so much earlier and the heads and
grain so much larger that l d:op
ped the "wheat." Every way
think the Kafin is preferable. 1
also tried the wheat for bread.
Myself and neighbors did not like
it. 1 have little faith that the grain
of any of this class of plants will be
used for bread so long as Indian
corn and wheat can be grown, al
though the chemist to the depart
ment at Washington in his report
for I8SI-82 gives the food value of
Indian corn and the sorghum fami
ly as practically the same. The
flavor, for man, is lacking. II is
cheap stock food, we expect, from
the class of plants, and, in eight"
a cheap and nutritious human food.
l feel confident, however, if any one
are to be used generally, or occa-
sionally, for bread purposes, it will
be Kaffin corn. The grain is large
and white, and the yield is early
and great. 1t is easy to thresh and
clean for the mill. l takes a whole
season to mature a crop of milo !
maize or of Egyptian wheat, while
crop of grain and forage, and still
another of forage in late fall, can be
saved of Kaffin in the cotton belt.
AS it does not sucker it must be
massed in three feet rows, if forage
alone is the object, but if for grain
also, one to three or more stalks
every ten or twelve inches, accord
ing to the soil, will insure fine
heads.
Being early, it is the plant for the
north or northwest, for grain and
iorage, and for the same reason, an q
because it is adapted to the geher-
lily thin lands of the cotton belt, it
will supersede milo maize south. 1t
s surprising it now on a rich, moist
ow land-the home of the milo
IS well as on high, thin land. The
Milo makes a various growth and
,uts out many succulent stems
rom the ground in the moist
months of spring and early summer
o be sadly damaged on high lands
y succeedingy dry spell, while
laffin, with it's single stalk. will not
all to make a crop, even if it should
Tait for the latter rains. Milo {
caves a troublesome stubble and
lakes less forage and much less
rain per acre than Kaffin. Milo
J very tall, but has the same num-
er of blades per stalk as the kaffin,
nd they are lighter. Kaffin is so
nv that tho hood iS in roach of a |