The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1910-03-28
INFORMATION ABOUT SORGHUM

e. Though all the cultivated ''sorg-
huns" probably came originally
from single wild species. the term
as now used includes great number
of cultivated varieties differing
widely in character. These are COM
monty divided into two general
classes, CD the saccharine sOrghumS
which have sweet juice and are now
sorghums which include
kafir corn. broom-corn durra. shallu,
knowliang and others.
Different varieties Of sorghum
have been in cultivation in India.
China, and in different parts of At
RIGA for many centuries. Pliny re-
counts its Introduction into Italy dur
ing the first century of the Christian
era.
The seeds OF sorghum are largely
used for human food in India. and in
parts of Africa. and TO some extent
elsewhere. In nearly all the tenn
perate and tropical regions of the
world, sorghum is grown both for
grain and forage.
In this country the value of sorg-
hum is we'll recognized. 1t is widely
cultivated as fodder crop and to a
considerable extent as a grain crop.
At one time the government expert
mented for several years in the man
ufacture of sugar from the saccha-
rine varieties. but the results secured
did not Justify the hope that sorgo
would become one of the great SUI
gar-producing plants of the world.
Considerable quantities of table
syrup are manufactured from it ev-
cry year, though this industry is
prOba bly, on the decline.
The L. S Department of Agricul-
ture has recently issued two publica-
itions relating to sorghum-a Bulle-
tin on The History and Distribution
OF Sorghum" and a Circular for
free distribution on Three Much
Misrepresented SOrghums." The OBJ
ject OF the latter is to set the people
right concerning some mistakes and
Misrepresentation.
Recently an Oklahoma man has
been selling at 80 cents a pound seed
grain of what he calls ',Californla
wheat" which he declares will pro-
duce 200 to 400 bushels per acre.
The Department shows that this is a
variety of sorghum known as shallu
which. after thorough test a few
years ago, proved only about half as
productive as kafir corn. II Is also
inferior as a forage crop.
The second OF these ''misrepre-
scented sorghums" is so-called
| "chocolate corn" accounts of which
have appeared in the press at different
times. The Department announces
that it never had any seed OF "choco-
| Lotto corn" for dis ri hutton and that
the plants which have sometimes re-
ceivei that name were simply varie-
ties OF sorghum. probably in most
cases the Early Amber sorgO.
! The sale of sorghum seed in the
| South under the name OF Texas
Seeded Ribbon Cane" by certain
seedsmen has led to much confusion
and disappointment. The use OF the
| term Ribbon Cane" is the cause OF
the trouble. since this is the popular
| name for the sugar cane of the South
which does not bear seed. The i'm
preston spread by advertisers of this
| seed was that they were Offering a
variety OF the sugar cane which
produce seed. and there was a large
demand for this seed which in fact
was nothing more than ''gOOseneck
sorghum The demand eventually
exhausted the supply OF seed and the
seedsmen began filling orders with
other sorghum seed. The fraud was
promptly exposed by the Department
OF Agriculture, but the sale Of tbs
seed continues. The Department
urges that the name Seeded Rib
bon Cane" be discontinued because
lit Is misleading.