The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1896-01-11
KAFF1R CORN.
q Plant Adapted to the Arid Regions
of Eastern Oregon.

a Plant Adapted to the Arid Regions |
of Eastern Oregon.
A species of corn which originated
in the Kaff1r country in Africa, hence
is called Kafir corn, is being very
successfully grown on the arid plains
along the eastern slope of the Rocky
mountains, and from the accounts
given of its wonderful yield in those
dry, rainless sections, it would seem
to be cereal we'll adapted to the
climate and soil of the plateaus of
Eastern Oregon where rains are not
abundant and where water for irri-
gating cannot be had.
Where this plant has been culti-
waited extensively it has been demon
strated that whether the season was
wet or dry, cool or hot, long or short,
the plant would thrive on all kinds of
soil with a minimum of care and cul-
tivation, and planted any time be-
tween the first of April and middle of
July it would mature an absolutely
sure crop of grain and fodder before
the frosts Of autumn.
The stalk looks somewhat like a
single shoot Of common corn, but
shorter, attaining height usually of
from four and half to six feet, and
having pointed leaves Of rich green
color. The grain forms in head at
the extreme point of the sheet, where
the tassel is OIL ordinary corn. the
heads being from seven to twelve
inches in length and six to eight in
circumference, and when ripe looks
like great white or red plumes.
The grains are almost round, little
larger than grain of rice, and much
resembling grain of wheat in its in
terror structure.
Speaking of the wonderful results
obtained from the cultivation of Kaffir
corn the St. Louis Globe-Democrat
says:
when the drought OF last spring
killed the wheat and oats and seemed
almost certain to ruin the corn, the few
who had had experience with the new
grain began to advise their neighbors
to plant Kafir corn. as it would grow
all right in dry weather, and they could
thus at least raise feed for their stock.
The newspapers took up the advise and
soon farmers were planting Kaffir corn,
utilizing the ground where wheat and
oats had failed and planting on sod or
scattered patches, where early corn had
been burned out.
'The planting was continued until
well along in August, the acreage be-
ing in many sections greater than that
ever devoted to single crop. In Okla
homa alone nearly $4,000 acres were
planted with the crop. And every
grain of it planted grew and thrived to
maturity, and before the summer was
over the farmers began to wonder what
they would do with it all. They knew
it was good feed for stock, but there
was not stock enough in the terri
tory to consume it, and the product
was yet so new that it was not reeog-
pized in the outside markets.
Experience had already developed
the fact that it made a most admirable
feed, either to winter stock or to fat
ten them for market, but with an
abundance OF the grain on hand, Okla
homa farmers soon discovered that it
was better for horses than either corn
or oats, making them fat and stout,
and giving them a sleek, glossy ap.
pearance.
"When it came to feeding hogs, it
was found that they gained flesh more
rapidly than when fed on common
corn, and poultry men have found the
Kaffir grain an admirable egg pro-
ducer, and when fed unthreshed the
fowls are given exercise in picking it
from the head.
"The boys and girls soon discov-
cred that it would pop as well as pop
corn,, the grains popping out large,
white and tender, and women in the
country found that. boiled like rice,
the grain was excellent eaten with
cream and sugar; that mashed into a
pulpy mass it made an admirable pud-
ding; and it was also frst-class SUBJ
stitute for hominy.
"Still the quantity produced was so
great that the people continued to
wonder what they would do with it.
1.-THE owner of the roller mills at
Medicine Lodge. Kan, ran some Of
the grain through his cornmeal grind
er and produced a meal pronounced in
every way equal to the ordinary corn
meal, but he was not content with
this, he rugged up a special set of
buhrs and produced new product
that bids fair to create revolution in
the worlds breadstuffs-Kaffir flour.
"Some of this -four was made into
light bread. The bread was fully as
white as bread made from second
grade wheat -four, aud was sweet and
palatable.'
If half that is claimed for this new
plant is true, it would be most ad-
vantageous crop for all of Eastern Or
egon. At all events its is worth
while for the farmers giving it test.
If it can be SO successfully grown here
as it is claimed that it does in Okla
homa, the barren hills of Eastern Ore
gon could soon be converted into wav-
ing, fields of corn, producing food for