TECHNICAL BULLETIN NO.

506 JULY 1936

IDENTIFICATION, HISTORY, AND

DISTRIBUTION OF COMMON
SORGHUM VARIETIES

H. N. VINALL
Senior Agronomist
Division of Forage Crops and Diseases

J. C. STEPHENS
Assistant Agronomist
and
J. H. MARTIN
Senior Agronomist
Division of Cereal Crops and Diseases
Bureau of Plant Industry

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, WASHINGTON, D. C.

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Technical Bulletin No. 506 "^^ 0*5Í^%^^^>í=tí 'G¿y July 1936

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

WASHINGTON, D. C.

IDENTIFICATION, HISTORY, AND

DISTRIBUTION OF COMMON SORGHUM
VARIETIES
By H. N. ViNALL, senior agronomist, Division of Forage Crops a/nd Diseases;
J. C. STEPHENS, assistant agronomist, and J. H. MARTIN, senior agro'noinist,
Division of Cereal Crops and Diseases, Bureau of Plant Industry ^

CONTENTS

Page Page
Introduction. _ 1 Characters used to describe varieties—Con.
Review of literature _.. 2 Panicle characters 32
Foreign investigations. _ 2 Glume characters of sessile spikelets 33
American investigations 12 Pedicellate spikelets 35
Botanical relationship of the genus Sorghum. 23 Stigma color 35
Description of the sorghum plant 24 Kernel characters 35
Development of the sorghum plant 25 Key for identification of common sorghum
Varietal studies 25 varieties _ __ __ 38
Establishing varietal types 26 Descriptions, history, distribution, and
Characters used to describe varieties 28 synonymy of common sorghum varieties. _ 44
Plant characters __ 28 Acreage of important varieties by States 82
Stem characters 29 Literature cited 92
Leaf characters 30 Index to varieties and synonyms 100

INTRODUCTION

There is perhaps no important staple crop which varies so widely

as sorghum. In Africa, the continent generally considered its
native home, there are hundreds of distinct varieties, and in India
and China almost as many more. After its introduction into the
United States the continued cross-pollination of sorghums in the
field has resulted in many additional varieties. This development
^ In conducting varietal tests the writers were assisted by field representatives of
the Bureau of Plant Industry. The following workers rendered valuable assistance in
collecting data regarding the varieties : In the Division of Cereal Crops and Diseases,
J. B. Sieglinger, agronomist, Woodward, Okla., and A. F. Swanson, associate agronomist,
Hays, Kans. ; in the Division of Forage Crops and Diseases, R, E. Getty, formerly as-
sociate agronomist at Hays, Kans., 1913-28 ; H. R. Reed, formerly assistant agronomist at
Bard and Chula Vista, Calif,, 1915-18 ; and A. B. Cron, formerly assistant agronomist
at Chillicothe, Tex., 1918-23. These local men took descriptive notes and physical
measurements of the plants in the field. The descriptions were first prepared by Stephens
from detailed descriptive notes taken in the field at Chillicothe, Tex., in 1927. The sorgo
descriptions were then revised by Vinall and the grain sorghum descriptions by Martin.
All descriptions were rechecked in the field in 1932, the object being to make them as
complete and accurate as possible from a taxonomic standpoint. J. R. Quinby, super-
intendent of Texas substation no. 12, Chillicothe, Tex., cooperated in the orginal prepara-
tion and checking of the descriptions.
22613—36 1 1
2 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 5 0 6, U. S. DEPT. OF AGEICULTURE

of new forms through the operation of natural forces has been

augmented by the work of plant breeders, who in the last 10 or
15 years have, through hybridization, created numerous distinct
varieties.
The sorghum crop has four uses—forage, grain, sirup, and indus-
trial (such as the manufacture of brooms, wallboard, etc.). Besides
the wide differences in climatic adaptations of varieties, those best
suited for grain production are of little value for sirup and, not-
withstanding that all sirup varieties and most of the grain sorghums
may be used as forage, there are wide differences in the quantity as
well as in the quality of the forage obtained. It is quite important,
therefore, not only to choose carefully the variety for planting in
any particular location, but also to be sure of getting that variety
when purchasing seed. Confusion in the names of sorghum varieties
is common. The same variety is grown and the seed marketed under
many different names, and the same name is often applied to several
varieties. Honey sorgo, an important sirup variety, was reported in
a sorghum varietal survey (p. 84) under 24i different names, and
the name " Honey Drip ]' was used for at least five distinct varieties
of sorgo. Such confusion results in many errors in interpreting
experimental data and in endless waste throughout that section of
the United States where the sorghums are grown extensively.
^ The confusion now existing demands some effort to provide descrip-
tions of the common varieties and the association of variety names
with types so definitely that growers, seed dealers, and experimenters
will be able to identify the varieties with precision and reasonable
certainty. It is the purpose of this bulletin to provide (1) descrip-
tions of commercial varieties, (2) a key to assist in the identification
of varieties, (3) estimated acreage and distribution of the important
varieties, and (4) the known history of all varieties described. It
is also planned to have each variety represented by a head speci-
men located at some point where it will be accessible for examina-
tion by those interested in studying and handling: the crop.
In describing a variety, plant characters as well as panicle charac-
ters have been considered, to assist in establishing a definite type
of plant for each name and to enable growers to judge the suitabil-
ity of any variety for their conditions and needs. The names chosen
have been standardized whenever possible in accordance Avith the
code of nomenclature adopted by the American Society of Agronomy
{21,31),^
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
FOREIGN INVESTIGATIONS

Sorghum, being indigenous to Egypt, was probably among the

earliest of the wild plants to be domeisticated and utilized as human
food and as feed for livestock. Ball {26^ p. 10) calls attention to the
statement of Woenig that a harvest field frescoed on the walls of
the tomb of Amenembes built at least 2,200 years before the Christian
Era represents a form of sorghum. There is considerable doubt as
to whether this fresco really represents sorghum. Reproductions of
it by Newberry {107^ fl, 11) show reapers harvesting a crop which.
2 Italic numbers in parentheses refer to Literature Cited, p. 92.
 COMMON SORGHUM VARIETIES 3

because of the marked lack of detail, may just as fairly be interpreted

as flax or some other cereal. . ^ i x^
Piedallu (Ü^, ff. M-28) discusses at length the question of whether
the scene on the walls of the tomb of Amenemhat m Bern Hasan,
cited by several authors (Woenig, 170. pp. 171-17^', Wilkinson, 166
pp. m, Jß^, W^^ ßgs^ i69, JilïS, J^99) as representing doora (durra)
is intended to signify the harvesting of this crop. He supports
very ably the contention that this scene and others like it represent
the harvesting of flax, and concludes that there is no proof that the
ancient Egyptians knew sorghum. Piedallu's logic is probably
sound, since all writers apparently agree that the human figures m
the picture are engaged in pulling the plants, a method of harvesting
long employed on flax, but not, so far as known, on sorghum.
Piedallu raised the question as to why the Egyptians harvested their
wheat by cutting it just below the heads and troubled themselves to
pull the sorghum with its long tough roots and dry rigid stems.
The method of threshing represented for this crop was also that ot
flax rather than sorghum, and inscriptions (hieroglyphics) m con-
nection with similar scenes are said to refer definitely to flax.
Piedallu makes an additional observation to the effect that the
grain of sorghum has been used commonly as food by the poorer
classes and may have been grown and used thus in Egypt without
having been rejpresented in the tombs of the kings, who used wheat
for bread and linen for clothes. .
What has been said of the decorations on the Amenembes tomb is
not true, however, of a carving taken from the palace of Sennacherib
in Nineveh.^ This carving, in the British Museum at London, pre-
sents an unusually accurate picture of a field of some compact-
headed sorghum such as milo or durra. A different carving m the
palace of Sennacherib represents a field of pearl millet, thus elimi-
nating this crop as a possible subject for the first mosaic. Grant-
ing that this carving does represent a field of sorghum, it indicates
that sorghum was an important crop about 700 B. C Excellent
illustrations of these two carvings will be found in Piedallu's book
{lU^pl.l). . .
There are records' also of the presence of sorghum in India m the
first century A. D. and in China in the third century. No doubt there
were numerous varieties in existence even at the beginning of the
Christian Era, but no serious attempt seems to have been made to
classify and describe these varieties until much later. Sorghum is
semitropical in its climatic adaptations and never attracted much
attention in Europe except along the Mediterranean coast.
All the earlier descriptions of sorghums were of a botanical nature,
and Ball's rather complete summary of these {ßß, pp, S5-30) makes
it unnecessary to repeat them here. There are, however, two fea-
tures of Ball's presentation that require comment in the light of
present knowledge. The copy of an illustration after Arduino (^^,
-fig, i, pi, Ji) reproduced in Ball's publication as figure 12 shows as
Holcus sorghum what is most surely pearl millet {Pennisetum
glauGum), The description of this species by Arduino recorded by
Ball {26, pp, IfS-U) does not apply to pearl millet, however, since
3 Nineveh, ancient city of Assyria, located on the banks of the River Tigris in what is
now Mosul, Turkey.
 4 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 5 0 6, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE

the colors of the seed are described as " various shades of red and
yellow." Just how this evident mistake in the illustration occurred
is difficult to explain, since Arduino is supposed to have grown these
varieties in field culture for several years.
Ball's figure 13 illustrating Arduino's Holous cafer is an almost
exact reproduction of a sorghum (S. P. I.^ 51972) collected by H. L.
Shantz at Rejaf, Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, in 1920. This is the only
sorghum coming under the observation of the senior writer that has
all the panicle branches radiating from practically the same point on
the axis of the inflorescence. Piedallu (ü^), however reproduces
this illustration of Arduino as figure 22, and in plate 4, B, gives a
picture showing a sorghum reported from Sudan by Chevalier with
a head like a parasol, very similar to S. P. I. no. 51972 and the Holcus
cafer of Arduino. He considers this Sudan form as representative
of Arduino's H, oafer, but accepts Ball's statement that it is also
equivalent to Planter sorgo.
At that date (1786), it is reported, Cafreria was an immense and
poorly defined territory not at all circumscribed as Natal is today.
Most probably it represented the European idea of that part of
Africa inhabited by the kafirs (Negroes) and thus extended well up
into Sudan. Arduino's Holcm cafer might well have been this Sudan
sorghum, which has sweet, juicy stems and heads "like a parasol."
In the very extensive test of sorghum varieties at Bard, Calif., in
1915, there were many loose-panicled forms of Planter sorgo, but
none m which the panicle branches were all attached at approxi-
mately a single focus on the axis. Ball's conclusion that the H, cafer
of Arduino represented the Planter sorgo grown in the United States
does not, therefore, appear well founded.
The fact that these early descriptions, with few exceptions, were
based on dried specimens and often only fragmentary material ex-
plains their inadequacy and the difficulty now experienced in iden-
tifying them with any of the modern varieties. It was not until
about 1850 that writers adopted the practice of describing the culti-
vated forms of sorghum as horticultural and botanical varieties
rather than species. The descriptions, however, in European publi-
cations continued to be based largely on botanical rather than agro-
nomic characters.
Two Germans, Koernicke and Hackel, were the first to make any
notable contribution to sorghum classification subsequent to that of
Arduino {22), who in 1786 published descriptions of six species based
on his studies of these in field cultures. Avellar Brotero (^^, pp.
88-89) m 1804 had transferred the Holcus sorghum and H, halepen-
sis of Linnaeus to the genus Andropogon, while Persoon {112, p,
101) in 1805 accepted the generic name Sorghum, first suggested by
Micheh, and christened the cultivated sorghums Sorghum vulgäre.
Although the sorghums have been cataloged for many years quite
generally as Andropogons, the practice suggested by Brotero, Üiere
IS now a fairly definite agreement among botanists to accept the Per-
soon plan and separate the sorghums from Andropogon under the
genus Sorghum.

Industr^' ^' ^®"^*^^ ^^^ ^^^ ^^^"* Introduction accession number, Bureau of Plant
 COMMON SOKGHUM VARIETIES Ö

Koernicke {96) in 1885 accepted Avelar Brotero's action in plac-

ing the sorghums in the genus Andropogon^ but considered them all
as 1 species, A, sorghum (L.) Brot. In his proposed classification
of the cultivated sorghums he divided them into 2 groups, Effusus
and Contractus, based on the characters of the panicle. His Effusus
or lax-panicled group comprised 5 varieties, including the oafer and
7iiger of Arduino, the saccharatus of Linnaeus, and 2 new ones,
leuGOSfermus and technicus^ the latter being applied to what we now
call broomcorn. In the Contractus or close-panicled group there
were 4 varieties with erect heads and 3 varieties with recurved pedun-
cles. Among these 7 varieties there were 5 {morvm Nees, Arduini
Gmel., licolor L., cemum Ard., and truchmenorum Koch) that had
been described previously. Koernicke added 2 of his own, oetMoys
and neesiL The cemwu^^ truchmenorum^ and neesii had recurved
peduncles; the others were erect-headed. Without an opportunity
to examine type specimens of these varieties described by Koernicke,
it is impossible to associate them with the modern varieties.
Hackel (7^) in 1889 divided Andropogon sorghum Brot, into two
subspecies, halepensis and sativu^. He seems to have been the first
to distinguish between the groups that are now called grass sorghums
and the more robust forms known as sorgos and grain sorghums.
In the former group, however, he included as varieties forms with
rootstocks and forms without rootstocks, namely, ejfusus^ virgatus^
and aethiopicus,
Hackel's subspecies sativus includes a total of 37 varieties divided
into 9 groups. He used as the basis for such divisions the following
characters : Shape and size of the spikelets ; shape and character of
the glumes ; comparative length of pedicels of staminate spikelets ;
relation of the size of the glumes to the size of the seed ; density of
the panicle and position and length of its branches in relation to
the axis; color of seeds; and presence and length of awns. While
Hackel's work represented a considerable advance over that of pre-
ceding authors, there are several marked inconsistencies in his classi-
fication from an agronomic standpoint, because of the fact that he
did not have an opportunity to study the growing plants and there-
fore did not consider the size or qualities of the culms, leaves, and
roots.
Other Europeans who have published botanical descriptions and
classifications of African sorghums include Schumann {ISO) in 1895,
Busse and Pilger {U) in 1902, and Lambrecht {99) in 1903. All of
these efforts are subject to the same criticism as applies to Hackel's
work ; they were based largely on botanical characters of the panicle
and were of little agronomic value because they failed to take into
account those habits of growth which determine the value of plants
from an economic viewpoint.
The Schumann key to east African varieties is interesting because
he bases his primary divisions on the degree to which the caryopses
are covered by the glumes. Of these three primary groups, Obtectae
are those in which the caryopsis is entirely covered, Seminudae those
in which the glumes are shorter than the caryopsis and only partially
cover it, and Nudae with glumes as long as the caryopsis bub
expanding at maturity with inflexed edges, thus exposing the cary-
opsis, as in our shallu, the variety roxburghii of Hackel. He places
 U. s. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE

only one variety each in the Obtectae and Nudae groups, while in
the Seminudae he has seven varieties. This group is subdivided
into Effusae or those with lax panicles, Contractae with somewhat
condensed panicles, and Compactae with very compact, recurved
panicles. Cowgill (5J, f\ 5) in his discussion of the panicle char-
acters of sorgo reproduces a translation of Schumann's key and fol-
lows it to a certain degree in his excellent descriptions of this group
of sorghums.
In 1915 Dudgeon (61) described several varieties of sorghums
grown in Egypt. The seasons recognized in Egyptian cultivation,
he says, are sefi (summer), nili (autumn), and shetwi (winter), and
the grain sorghums are divided by cultivators into two groups, (1)
the durra sefi, or Ghedi varieties, those grown in the summer, and
(2) the durra nîli, or Nabari varieties, those seeded late and cul-
tivated during the autumn months. There are, he claims, some
references to a durra shetwi or winter variety, but since no varieties
are cultivated during the winter, such varieties are to be classed
with the nîli durras. The sefi and nili durras are each subdivided
into four varieties or varietal groups. Descriptions of these groups,
valuable from an agronomic viewpoint, are given. The sweet sor-
ghum variety saccharatum L. is mentioned as being grown only
for fodder. Evidently a single variety, one with black glumes,
was the sole representative of this group. Variety technicum
(broomcorn) is mentioned, although he says it is not systematically
cultivated in Egypt. One of the chief elements of value in Dud-
geon's work is the extended list of references to publications on
Egyptian agriculture in connection with his discussion of the early
history of sorghums in Egypt. He attempts also to associate the
botanical varieties of earlier authors, especially those listed by As-
cherson and Schweinfurth {23) and Sickenberger {135)^ with va-
rieties then (1915) being grown in Egypt. It is helpful to have the
opinions of these authors as to the identity of such varieties as
arduini Gmel., hicoJor L., aethiops Koern., and cernuwrb Ard.
The most comprehensive subsequent article on the sorghums of
Africa is that by Stapf {lJf3). Having access to the collections
from the British colonies at the Kew herbarium, Stapf, in his
classification, presents the most complete and accurate picture that
has yet been published of the botanical relationships of the African
sorghums, including both the wild and cultivated forms.
Stapf accepts Piper's contention (see p. 19) that the annual grass
sorghums rather than the perennial Sorghiom halepensis were the
progenitors of our cultivated sorghums. To the units or divisions of
these spontaneous annual forms, which Piper made subspecies. Stapf
gives the rank of species under the genus Sorghum as established by
Persoon. Piper did not attempt to classify botanically the culti-
vated forms, but Stapf placed these in 14 groups or species, of which
he says {H3) :
Concerning the species admitted here it may be remarked that they have been
found to coincide to some extent with the groups which the American culti-
vators have empirically learned to distinguish. This seems to justify the
hope that in a general way they may prove sound, however much correction
in detail they may need and will no doubt undergo.
Stapf indicates that his primary groups (species) were based on
comparisons made in the flowering stages of the plant rather than
 COMMON SOKGHUM VARIETIES

when mature, his reason for this being that man's mfluence m the
evolution of sorghums was aimed toward the production of more
grain for food. Inherent phylogenetic diflPerences would, there-
fore, he assumes, be more apparent in the immature inflorescence.
While this appears to be good logic, there are certain quite specific
differences in the size, color, and shape of the seeds which are use-
ful in distinguishing varieties of cultivated sorghums, and these
differences are not discernible in the immature spikelet. Stapf
recognizes this in his final descriptions of the cultivated species,
where he includes the characteristics of the mature caryopsis. These
descriptions, although of a botanical nature, are much more com-
plete and detailed than those of Stapf's predecessors. They take
account of the characters of the culm and leaf as well as those of
the panicle. As a rule his species groups are broader than those
represented by our milos, durras, and kafirs. For example. Sorghum
roxhurghii Stapf, to which our shallu belongs, also includes a
variety semiclamum Stapf with "panicles fairly dense" and the
glumes clasping the gram " so that only its top or upper half is
exposed." The same condition is apparent in the S. durra and b.
caffoTum, species including our durra and kafir, respectively. While
not altogether satisfactory from an agronomic standpoint, Stapf s
classification is very useful as a basis for such.
The cultivated sorghums and the grass sorghums are all included
by Stapf in his group Eu-sorghums, described as having the '' pri-
mary branches of the panicle whorled (at least at the lower nodes).
Under this group is a class in which the primary branches are di-
vided and the racemes are both terminal and lateral. This second
class is subdivided on the basis of whether the spikelets are decidu-
ous or persistent. Those with deciduous spikelets include what he
terms "spontaneous grasses" (our grass sorghums), while the cul-
tivated sorghums are arranged under 14 species in the class with
persistent spikelets. This division is not wholly correct, because
Sudan grass {Sorghum sudcmensis Stapf), placed by Stapf m the
class with deciduous spikelets, has, in fact, spikelets that are quite
persistent.
In his group having persistent spikelets, our cultivated sorghums.
Stapf places 8 species in a class having the glumes wholly coriaceous
or with only the triangular tip herbaceous. The 6 other species are
placed in a class with glumes thinly crustaceous to papery. Withm
these two main groups the descriptions are founded in order of
descending importance of the following characters : Density of pan-
icle; position of glumes in respect to the caryopsis; shape of sessile
spikelets; shape, nervation, and awnedness of glumes; color of
glumes and pubescence; color, shape, and degree of exposure of
caryopsis.
The French, like the English, are interested in sorghums primarily
because of their African colonies. This crop has never been impor-
tant in France, and not until recent years has there been any earnest
effort made by French botanists to study the sorghums. There are
numerous references to sorghum in French wfttings, listed rather
fully in Piedallu's bibliography {114).
The earliest important French work from a classification stand-
point is perhaps that of Sagot, which was published by Kaoul (119)
8 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 5 0 6, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE

after Sagot's death. This appears to be intended for Algerian

agriculture, and there is a lack of specific descriptions which pre-
vents the reader from identifying the varieties, which are desig-
nated in most cases simply by the locality where they originated and
the native name, as "sorghum shalagoava from Zululand." The
three groups or main divisions are based on the size and comparative
density of the panicle and the position of the panicle branches in
respect to the rachis (axis of inflorescence). Secondary divisions
are founded on the degree to which the caryopsis is covered by the
glumes. Within these secondary groups divisions are made on the
basis of glume color.
Dumas (62) and Jumelle (87) have both published descriptions of
varieties grown by the natives along the Niger and its tributaries
in Senegal, neither contributing much in the field of classification.
Jumelle separated his 15 varieties into two groups, 9 varieties with
loose panicles and 6 with compact panicles. Within these groups
his first division is based on the glume color. In the descriptions he
includes comparative size of seed and glumes and the shape and
pubescence of the glumes.
Gèze (69) in 1923 published an article which appears to be largely
a discussion of the classifications of other authors. Piedallu (114,)
also in 1923 gives a chapter on the early history of sorghums, in-
dicating extensive research in European libraries. His classifi-
cation, however, evidences a lack of field knowledge concerning the
crop, resulting in several inconsistencies such as the grouping of
Sumac and Orange sorgo \yith kafir. His main divisions are based
on the density of the panicle and the secondary divisions on the
length of the axis of the panicle, and within these a third division
or grouping is based on the shape of the panicle and color of the
glumes.
In his classification of sorghum, Piedallu accepts the two species
of Persoon, Sorghum halepense and S, vulgäre. In the latter he
includes all the cultivated sorghums as horticultural or botanical
varieties. In the former he places all " wild " sorghum with ag-
gressive rootstocks ("rampante stolonifera "), but later makes this
class include the annual grass sorghums ("/S. halepense et ses vari-
étés annuelles "), an action not in accord with Piper's more logical
arrangement.
The sorghums have from the earliest times been an important
food and fodder crop in India. Because of their wide distribution
and early culture there, Watt {167, pp, ^77-292; 168) and other
authors have considered India as the native home of the sorghums,
or at least that it shared with Africa this distinction. If Piper's
{116) contention is accepted that the cultivated sorghums were de-
veloped from the grass sorghums rather than from Johnson grass,
the conclusion follows naturally that sorghums originated in Africa,
because these grasslike sorghums are found growing spontaneously
in equatorial and South Africa, while only the rootstock forms
{Sorghum halepense) appear indigenous in India. Whatever the
conclusion may be regarding the origin of this crop, there is no one
who will dispute the importance of the sorghums in India or the
fact that the Indian sorghums form a group rather distinct from
 COMMON SORGHUM VAEIETIES 9

those in Africa, China, and the United States. Very few of the
varieties imported from India have proved to be adapted to the
United States.
Among the earlier writers who have published discussions of the
" juars " or sorghums of India, perhaps Roxburgh (i^7, pp.
268^278), Duthie {63), Hooker {81, pp, 183-184), Watt {167, pp,
277-292; 158), and Church {Jß, pp. 80-86) are the best known.
The most extensive of these are the works of Watt. He {157, pp.
277-292) discusses at length the botany of sorghums, particularly
the arrangement of Indian varieties in the species established by
Hackel and other authors. Considerable attention is also given to
botany in his later article {168). There is but little to be learned,
however, from his treatment. In fact, in his earlier work {167) he
seems only to have added to the confusion, as witness his use of the
term '' broomcorn " as a synonym of sugarcane in a group along
with sorgo. Planter's Friend, etc., under Sorghuon saccharatum Pers.,
and the placing of the shallu of Bombay under S. halepense var.
roxburghii, while " shalu " of Deccan is included under S. saccha-
ratum. He gives an impressive array of arguments supporting the
independent origin of sorghum in India and a remarkably long list of
references which is valuable particularly in the field of early botani-
cal history. In his later article {168) Watt apparently adopts the
more rational system of grouping all the cultivated sorghums under
Sorghvmh vulffare Pers., synonymous with Holcus sorghwin L., Andro-
pogon sorghum ^voi., and A. sorghum subspecies sativits Hackel.
The only other species recognized in this article by Watt is S.
halepense Pers., which he properly limits to the rootstock forms
such as the Johnson grass of the United States and the Baru grass
of India. This action of Watt is in agreement with the final
judgment of present-day botanists.
Watt's suggestion {168, p. 110) that the name " imphee " be applied
to the sweet sorghums and sorgo reserved for the grain sorghums is
an interesting idea whether or not he is correct in his belief that the
name sorgo, originating in southern Italy, was first applied to " grain
and fodder varieties." The practice of referring to the sweet-
stemmed sorghums as sorgo has become so well established in the
United States that it could not well be changed. There is, however,
a recognized need for a suitable class name for the grain sorghums.
One of the first serious attempts to classify the sorghums in India
was that of Benson and Subba Rao {37, pp, 64-91), and this was
confined to the Province of Madras. The authors published (in
part) as a footnote the tentative classification made by I. H. Burkhill
in 1902 based on a collection of sorghums from the whole of India.
Of this collection only six of the varieties were common to Madras.
Unfortunately, Burkhill's complete classification appears never to
have been published. Benson and Subba Rao omit most of his
groups because they were not represented in Madras. From the
three group descriptions given, Burkhill evidently made his primary
division on the comparative length of the glumes and seed and his
secondary divisions on the position of the glumes, the density of the
panicle, and the shape of the seed. Within these groups the color,
shape, and pubescence of the glumes are used in describing varieties.
Burkhill's classification, while lacking in many particulars, impresses
10 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 5 0 6, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE

one as having certain elements of fundamental value in a descriptive

sense. He is reported to have arranged the sorghums of India in
8 groups containing 22 varieties.
According to Benson and Subba Kao, the situation regarding
varietal names in India is much like that in the United States. They
say :
Whilst the cultivators in a majority of cases recognise the varieties of
sorghum they know locally by specific names, sometimes these names are in
themselves only vaguely descriptive, and sometimes the same name is applied
to different sorts in different localities.
They indicate that the varieties are distinguished by the growers in
the Madras Presidency according to the following characters :
1. Color of seed coat, glumes, and liilum.
2. Season at which sown.
3. Duration of growth.
4. Character of the inflorescence.
5. Number of nodes or leaves.
6. Flavor of stem and grain.
The authors do not seem to have developed any definite classification
system of their own, but adopt an arrangement of Madras varieties in
the groups established by Burkhill. The descriptive notes on 63 vari-
eties by Subba Rao are rather complete from an agronomic stand-
point, including statements as to soil preferences and suitability for
use as fodder or grain in addition to a description of plant characters.
This is a valuable bulletin for the student because of the opportunity it
affords to become acquainted with the characteristics of Indian sor-
ghums and their varietal names. Only the botanical variety Hians
(shallu) is certainly represented among the varieties in the United
States.
An interesting feature of the descriptions is the use of the transverse
wrinkle on the glumes of the Irungiformis group as a distinguishing
feature of these varieties. This would appear to indicate an alliance
between this group and our milos, but this wrinkle in the Irungif ormis
group is near the middle. Below this wrinkle the glume is hard, and
above it the glume is soft or thin with the nerves plainly marked.
Such conditions do not apply to milo where the wrinkle is below the
middle and the glume is neither especially soft nor thin above the
wrinkle. In addition the panicles of these Indian sorghums are de-
scribed as " much elongated ", which definitely separates them from
the milos with their short, compact heads.
Several previously unpublished names appear in this bulletin as
applied by Burkhill to his sorghum groups. Some of these, like
Irungu, Burmanicus, Irungiformis, and Combaticorus, have a dis-
tinctly Indian flavor, while others such as Eois, Medicoris, Compactus,
and Agricolarum are apparently original with the author.
It was not until 1919 that a really effective classification of Indian
sorghums appeared, and this applied only to those of one Province in
that immense country. Kottur (97) published what seems to be a
logical and simple arrangement of the principal varieties. His ob-
ject, as stated in the introduction, was to classify each type studied so
that its relationship to types met in another part of the country would
he apparent. He has based his classes chiefly on panicle characters,
 COMMON SORGHUM VARIETIES 11

which he believes are " fairly constant when the different varieties are
self-fertilized."
In India, as in Egypt, there are two essentially different seasons
for planting and growing the sorghums. The kharif jowars are
grown during the monsoon season (Jime to October) and the rabi
jowars in the period after the rains (September to March) during
the cooler weather. Kharif sorghums can be grown in the rabi
season and vice versa, Kottur says, but the growth is not normal
when the sorghums of either group are planted out of their season.
The most frequent expression of this off-season effect is an extraor-
dinary vegetative growth when the seeding time of a variety is
changed.
Kottur in his studies of the sorghums in Bombay found " their
agricultural characters so indefinite that they have had to be looked
upon as secondary " for classification purposes. He has relied prin-
cipally on three characters in his classification, explaining them as—
(1) The characters of the ear: The length of the rachis and itsi mode of
branching give the ear a definite shape which can be easily identified. These
characters seem to be constant.
(2) The character of the grain: The size, shape, and color of the grain
seem important. It is sometimes difficult to determine the differences, but there
is no doubt as to the constancy of these characters.
(3) The characters of the glumes: The color of the glumes and their
hairiness are constant characters, but it is often difficult to distinguish the
differences.
Using a more or less idealistic key, Kottur has placed in it 33
varieties designated by their local names with brief agronomic notes
regarding each and has added a statement as to their local distribu-
tion and importance. The value of his publication is enhanced by
excellent plate illustrations showing a typical head of each of the
seven " groups."
While evident deficiencies appear in Kottur's classification, such
as the markedly incomplete color descriptions, it has in its logical
arrangement, simplicity, and clarity much to recommend it. The
outhor has achieved in this work a pronounced advance toward the
goal of giving a clearer conception of the situation existing in
respect to the cultivated varieties of sorghum in India.
Kottur and Chavan {98) in 1928 supplemented the classification
work with a report on their studies of variation within varieties.
This variation study, pursued with the idea of making selections of
higher yielding types, has a decided value for classification purposes
in showing the stability of any given character. 'The authors deter-
mined for the progeny of close-pollinated plants the variation in
height, number of nodes per stem, length of peduncles, length,
thickness, and weight of head, weight of grain per head, and size of
grain (determined by the weight of 100 grains).
The studies are limited to three kharif varieties, and the range of
variation in all eight characters is wide. The means and modes,
however, show a distinct varietal difïerence. The correlation of each
character with yield was determined and was found highest for the
length of the head. Differences between varieties in the amount of
cross-pollination and the time of day in which the flowers open are
also shown.
12 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 5 0 6, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE

Later Patel and Patel {110) presented a very commendable statis-

tical study of the sorghums grown in the Surat district of Gujarat.
After a brief discussion of the acreage of sorghums and character-
istics of the principal varieties in thig part of India, a botanical
description of the sorghum plant is given, together with notes on
the natural cross-pollination which occurs in field cultures. The
authors then present detailed data on the hereditary nature of cer-
tain characters in Surat sorghums. The characters included are
leaf area, hairiness and color of leaves, height of plant, diameter of
stem, number of nodes in stem, color of shriveled anthers, period
from germination to flowering, length of rachis, density of head,
and character of the seed. These data are useful in showing the
extreme variability in most of these characters.
AMERICAN INVESTIGATIONS

Sorsby {llß) claims he saw durra growing in Georgia in 1838.

Outside of indicating that there were two varieties, the "White"
and the " Eeddish-brown ", he contributes but little to our knowledge
of classification. Most of his article is devoted to culture and uses.
Browne (39), in listing " seeds and cuttings recently introduced
into the United States " in a report dated February 5, 1855, mentions
" Dourah corn " as having been received from St. Martin in the West
Indies and " sorgho sucré " from China via France. In a later article
{Jt^O) in the same report he tells something of the characteristics of
this sorgho sucré, particularly of its sweet juice, and intimates that
it is related to broomcorn and the varieties of sorghum collected by
Leonard Wray in Natal, South Africa. This article is accompanied
by a full-page illustration of the plant showing six stems approxi-
mately 7 feet tall with loose panicles like those of the Minnesota
Amber variety.
Olcott {108^ pp. 20Irx212) in 1857 was among the earliest to pub-
lish descriptions of the sorgo varieties imported from South Africa
by Leonard Wray. These descriptions by Wray, like those he sup-
plied for the publications of Hedges (7¿, pp. 19-53) and Stewart
{m^ pp. 210-222), are complete for only 8 of the 15 varieties that he
brought over from Africa. From the description supplied by these
three authors it seems quite probable that the Nee-a-za-na of Wray isi
the parent variety of what is now being grown under the name of
Sourless or White Orange.
Hedges (7^) in his book published in 1863 gives an account of the
introduction of 15 varieties of sorgo from South Africa by Leonard
Wray. He also relates the circumstances connected with the intro-
duction of Chinese sorgo by an agent of the United States Patent
Office in November 1854. This variety was obtained from Vilmorin,
Andrieux & Co., Paris, France, it having been sent to France in 1851
by Count de Montigny, then consul in Shanghai, China. Hedges
quotes Wray's descriptions of the varieties, which he introduced
under their native names. The descriptions are not specific enough
to assure their identification with our present-day varieties. Wray
places sorgo in the botanical group Holcus saccJmratns L. and kafir
in SoTghvmi vulgäre Pers.
Hedges appears to have been fully aware of the tendency of sor-
ghums to cross-pollinate in the field, and he warns growers that they
 COMMuJN" SOKGHUM VARIETIES 13

must give much attention to the purity of their seed if they hope to
maintain a high sugar content in the juice. He speaks especially of
the unreliability of seed produced in close proximity to broomcorn.
It is to be regretted that he did not illustrate more of the varieties
introduced by Wray. His figures of the panicles of Eanamoodee,
Neeazana, and Oomseeana are more helpful than descriptions m
identifying these. -r^ -^ T o^ x T^
Collins {Iß) in 1865 was commissioned by the United btates De-
partment of Agriculture to investigate the production and utiliza-
tion of sorgo in China. The history of the introduction of this
sorghum to France he recounts thus: Seed of a sorgo was sent by
Count de Montigny in 1851 to the Geographical Society of Pans.
This seed was given to M. Roberts, director of the Marine Gardens
at Toulon, for propagation. He obtained only a single plant from
the seed, but this flourished and produced seed so that " large crops
were gathered later in France and Algiers. In 1854 W. J. Browne,
acting as agent for the United States Patent Office, obtained some ot
this seed and took it back to the United States, where it finally
became widely distributed.
Pech {111) in 1866 discussed the botanical history of sorghum and
included a synoptical table or scheme of classification along with
illustrations of the panicles of seven varieties. Pech's classification
was the basis of that later published by Collier (^). In this scheme
the sorghums are divided into two groups, one m which the ripe
seeds are longer than the glumes, and a second in which the ripe seeds
are equal with or shorter than the glumes. The first group is rep-
resented by Liberian, which the author indicates includes six of
Wray's varieties, viz, Ekothla, Koombana, Boomowana, Eengha,
Booeana, and Eednomoodon. The second group is subdivided into
a group with glumes equaling the length of the seed and one with
glumes longer than the seed. " Black Imphee " is indicated as the
sole representative of the last group. In the group with seed and
o-lumes of equal length he has one, "Red Imphee" (Shlagoova),
with the glumes closed, hiding the seed, and a contrasting group with
open glumes, showing the seed. In this group the first division is
based on glume color, the second on the density and shape of the
panicle, and the third on the presence or absence of pubescence on
the o-lumes An interesting point is that he described the Neeazana,
which he calls " White Imphee ", as having glumes " greenish white
or ash color ", thus adding evidence to support the theory that Sour-
less and not Orange is the modern representative of Neeazana.
The classification presented by Pech leaves much to be desired.
Judging from Wray's descriptions, there are wide differences among
the six^ African varieties which Pech places in a single class as
equivalents of Liberian. The pen drawings of the panicles and
spikelets are crude and do not agree with illustrations of the same
varieties in other publications. ,
Stewart {lU, fp. 210-222) in 1867 published a book similar to
that of Hedges (V^). He has included Wray's description of the
South African varieties. These descriptions should apparently be
identical with those published earlier by Hedges, but do not agree
exactly in several essentials. There is little in addition to the quo-
tation from Wray of interest from a classification standpoint, ex-
 14 TECHNICAJ. BULLETIN 5 0 6, U. S. DEPT, OF AGRICULTURE

cept the author's comment on the intermediates between the different

groups of sorghums. This, he points out, indicates a close relation-
ship and evidence that all the sorghums belong in a single botanical
species.
Le Duc {101, p, 2S3) in 1877 included in his annual report some
notes regarding the introduction of " Chinese sorgo " and the devel-
opment of Minnesota Amber therefrom. These are for the most
part unauthenticated reports from individuals who had a personal
acquaintance with these varieties. Some of these claims are ob-
viously inaccurate, but others appear to have a basis of fact and are
fully possible.
C. D. Aldrich, Morristown, Minn., suggested that "Minnesota early amber"
had been developed from Wray's Oomseana sorgo. This is highly improbable
if not impossible, because the Oomseana had a long, narrow panicle with stiff
branches, not likely to give rise to a type of panicle like that of Minnesota
Amber, except through crossing with a loose-panicled variety.
E. Y. Teas, Dunreith, Ind., claimed that he obtained seed of the Chinese
sorgo from Vilmorin, Andrieux & Co., Paris, France, in 1859, and that he se-
lected an early-maturing plant from the resulting crop grown in Indiana.
KSeed of this plant named by him "Early Amber" was increased and later
distributed in Minnesota and other States.
Edwin Henry stated that his father-in-law, William R. Prince, Flushing,
Long Island, N. Y., imported seed of a "black-seed " sorgo from France in 1853
and offered a small quantity of the seed to the public in 1854.
Collier {i7) in 1881 summarized the work of his division of the
United States Department of Agriculture with sorghum. Thirteen
plate figures showing panicles of certain varieties then being grown
are very helpful in understanding the gross appearance of these
varieties. A " synoptical table of the varieties of sorghum cultivated
at the Department of Agriculture during the summer of 1880 " pro-
vides some useful descriptive notes. A key or synoptical table fol-
lows that of Pech {111) in the use of characters in the following
ranks: (1) Comparative length of ripe grain and glumes; (2)
density of panicle; (3) color of glumes; (4) color of seed; and (5)
shape of head, size and shape of seed, shape of glumes, etc.
Collier {48) in 1884 contributed the most pretentious account of
the introduction and development of sorghum in the United States
that had yet been published. In this book, most of which is devoted
to an exposition of the possibilities of utilizing sorghum as a source
of sugar, the author records many interesting observations regarding
the introduction of sorgo varieties in the United States, and in addi-
tion presents a valuable discussion of the botany of sorghum with
quotations from early botanical works and finally gives a description
of the varieties included in his experiments. Connected with the
varietal descriptions is a key for the identification of the varieties
and 15 plate illustrations of what are presumed to be typical panicles
of certain varieties.
He indicated that his key is based upon a similar one prepared by
' F. Peck " and published in the United States Department of Agri-
culture Report for 1865. This publication only adds to the con-
fusion regarding the characteristics of the Natal varieties introduced
by Wray. Neither his descriptions nor his illustrations agree with
those of Hedges (7^). For example, compare the illustrations of
iNeeazana. This variety, claimed by Ball {26, p, 34) to be the pro-
genitor of Orange sorgo, is described by Collier as having "seed
 COMMON SORGHUM VARIETIES 10

yellowish brown ", while Hedges gives it white seed. The fact that
an early synonym for Neeazana was " White Imphee " inclines one to
believe that Hedges was more correct than Collier, in which case the
Sourless would more probably be the modern representative of
Neeazana.
In Collier's key the primary division is based on the comparative
length of the caryopsis and the outer glumes, the second division on
the density of the panicle, and the third on glume color. An in-
teresting feature of Collier's illustrations are two varieties, the
panicles of which resemble those of Collier sorgo in having a very
short central axis of the inflorescence. He listed these as having
been obtained from Cawnpore, India. If they did come from India,
they are about the only valuable sorgos obtained there and are not
truly representative of the Indian sorghums. Wray claimed these
were represented in the varieties he introduced. Other varieties
claimed by Wray {172) as his introductions were the one figured by
Collier as Liberian, now represented by our Sumac (this was Wray's
Koombana), and White Mammoth (Wray's Enyama), now being
grown as White African. Wray's contentions in respect to these
two varieties proved correct when he supplied some "old seed"
of his Koombana and Enyama. These were. Collier states, identical
with those of Liberian and White Mammoth.
Wiley and his coworkers {160, 161, 162, 163, 16J^, 166) from 1887
to 1892 published a series of bulletins showing the sucrose and glucose
content of the juice of different varieties of sorgo. In connection
with other data there are a limited number of varietal descriptions.
Though incomplete, these descriptions are of value as a record of
varietal names and characteristics at that time. For example, the
name White India was used for White Mammoth or Enyama, and
both White African and Black African were mentioned with two
other white-seeded varieties, White Enfield and Honey Dew, the
latter represented by S. P. I. nos. 2368 and 2369. Both of these were
grown in the varietal test at Bard, Calif., in 1915, and proved to be
distinct varieties of no promise commercially.
Georgeson {66) in 1896 prepared for the United States Depart-
ment of Agriculture a bulletin which was devoted chiefly to a dis-
cussion of the culture and uses of the kafirs. He speaks briefly of
their introduction 10 years previously and describes three varieties—
Eed, White, and Black-hulled White kafirs. The descriptions are
not sufficiently detailed for classification purposes.
Shaw {133) in 1900 divided the sorghums into two main classes—
saccharine and nonsaccharine. He states : " This classification is
based on the presence of sugar in considerable quantities in the ma-
tured cane or on its almost entire absence." Among the varieties
named are Early Amber, Folger's Early, and Early Orange. He
describes Minnesota Early Amber as a subvariety of Early Amber,
and Kansas Orange as a subvariety of Early Orange. In the non-
saccharine class he includes as varieties " Kaffir corn, Milo maize,
Dhourra, and Jerusalem corn." He speaks of red and white kafir
corn, yellow and white Milo maize, and brown and white Dhourra.
Brief descriptions of these varieties are given. The white Milo
maize, as illustrated by the author in figure 11, is not the white milo
now being grown in the southern Great Plains, but is a sorghum
 16 TECHNICAL, BULLETIN 5 0 6, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE

introduced from the West Indies, under the name " Guinea corn."
The plants in the photograph are immature, but where the heads
are exserted they are plainly not those of milo. In this discussion
the author reveals no very complete knowledge of the crop. There
were at the time his book was written many other varieties of sor-
ghum being grown.
Dentón (68) in 1901 published the first farmers' bulletin discussing
the manufacture of sorghum sirup, as a result of experiments con-
ducted by the Department of Agriculture at Medicine Lodge, Kans.
He includes very little regarding varieties, but names Early Amber
as the best early sorghum. Collier as the richest in sugar, and Col-
man as one with larger, shorter stems and more seed than the others,
yet having a satisfactory juice. The illustrations, while not very
good, are from actual photographs of the panicles and are useful in
indicating the shape and density.
An interesting feature of Denton's publication is his comment on
the variation found in the quantity of the juice in a given variety
from year to year. He says :
A variety may be selected in one season because it produces good sirup; it
may be rejected the next season because it produces poor sirup. Planted early
it may produce good sirup, and when planted late it may produce poor sirup in
the same season and on the same soil, yet in both seasons it may produce ample
and good sirup-making material. The impurities vary in amount, accordin«*
as the growing seasons are favorable or unfavorable.
Winton (169) in 1903 gave valuable assistance to later investigators
by his study of the morphology of the seed of sorghums. In this
study he found the seeds of certain varieties to possess a nucellar
layer underneath the mesocarp and distinct from the aleurone layer.
This layer of colored cells, which is entirely absent in some varieties,
is therefore a character useful in distinguishing the varieties of
sorghum.
Hartley {7S) in 1903 published information concerning broom-
corn, most of his bulletin being devoted to the culture and uses of the
crop. He indicates that broomcorn belongs to the same botanical
species as kafir and sorgo, and divides the varieties into two groups
known as "Standard" and "Dwarf." Standard he describes as
growing to a height of 10 to 15 feet, with a brush 18 to 28 inches long,
and Dwarf as growing 4 to 6 feet high, with a fine brush 10 to 18
inches long.
Hunt (SB) in 1904, in his book on cereals, devotes a few pages to
a discussion of the botany, plant characters, and varietal differences
of sorghums.
Ball (£5) in 1906, in a bulletin devoted primarily to the sweet
sorghums, discusses in a brief way the classification of sorghums and
gives some useful information regarding the history and character-
istics of a few of the most important sorgo varieties. He divides
the sorghums into three groups, (1) broomcorns, (2) saccharine or
sweet sorghums, and (3) nonsaccharine sorghums. The sweet sor-
ghums he separates into four groups—Amber, Orange, Sumac, and
Gooseneck. The nonsaccharine sorghums are placed in two groups^—
the kafirs, including Ked, White, and Black-hulled White kafirs, and
" White milo " (not the white milo of the present day but Guinea
kafir), and the dhouras, including Jerusalem corn, Brown dhoura,
 COMMON SORGHUM VARIETIES 17

and Yellow milo. As synonyms of the durras, he records Egyptian

corn, branching dhoura, rural branching dhoura, and dhoura corn.
Warburton {165) in 1907, in discussing the grain sorghums, supple-
ments the earlier work of Hartley {73) on broomcorn and of Ball
{2Ô) on the sorgos. He follows Ball in dividing the sorghums into
three groups—^broomcorn, saccharine sorghums, and nonsaccharine
sorghums. He also accepted Ball's divisions of the nonsaccharine
sorghums into two classes—the kafircorns and the durras.
Scott {132) in 1908 published a short paper in which he suggested
that all sorghums originated from a single species, and divided them
into three classes, (1) saccharine, (2) nonsaccharine, (3) broomcorn.
In a list of the varieties tested the only new one is Cigne, which is
evidently a local name applied to a variety that he failed to describe.
Ball {27) in 1910 published a short circular to provide authentic
information as to the identity of certain sorghum varieties which
were at that time being widely advertised in the newspapers under
fictitious and misleading names. This publication supplies informa-
tion regarding the history and characteristics of shallu, " chocolate
corn ", and Gooseneck sorgo. The latter variety was then being sold
as " Texas seeded ribbon cane ", a name which, with variations, has
continued in our agricultural literature down to the present day.
Ball's discussion of " chocolate corn " is interesting as indicating
the presence of a " black-seeded " (probably indicates black glume)
sorghum in western Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio in 1830. The
author's conclusion that this variety was one of the black-panicled
forms of Arduino which in some way was imported into the United
States hardly seems justified in the light of more recent information.
The " chicken corn ", a black-panicled sorghum much like Minnesota
Amber sorgo in appearance, was collected by Drummond at New
Orleans, La., in 1832. Piper {115, p. Iß) says that " chicken corn "
was undoubtedly brought into the United States by Negro slaves
from the Guinea coast of Africa. If so, it no doubt came in several
year?: before the date Drummond collected it. This variety is still
found along the Ohio Eiver in southern Indiana and northern
Kentucky, where it is considered a weed in cornfields.
Ball {26, p. 8) in 1910 presented a more complete classification
of the sorghums. In the preceding decade he had devoted much
time to a study of sorghums and thus was in a position to indicate
more accurately than had previous authors the range of forms and
natural relationships of the different groups. He says: "During
ûiç^ past 6 years more than 1,200 different lots of domestic and
foreign sorghums have been brought together and grown experi-
mentally." His key to the principal groups of sorghum includes
sorgo, kafir^ milo, broomcorn, shallu, and kaoliang. This key for
the groups is the most satisfactory of all published up to that'time.
Ball {28) in 1911 discussed the improvement of the grain sor-
ghums, which by that time had assumed an important position among
the farm crops grown in the semiarid sections of Kansas, Oklahoma,
and Texas. In this bulletin the only important contributions to the
knowledge of varieties are the statements made respecting the history
of certain ones and the influence of selection on others.
22613—36 2
18 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 5 0 6, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE

Conner {SO) in 1911 published a bulletin on the use of sorgos for

forage. In his discussion of classification and varieties he divides
the sorghums into two classes based on use, (1) " those that are
grown primarily for forage and sirup ", and (2) " those that are
grown for grain." The author says the sorghums in group 1 are
characterized by a high percentage of sugar in the stems, rather
small heads, and the presence of tannin in the seed. Group 2 is
made up of varieties with pithy or semipithy stems having little
saccharine matter and rather large heads with seeds containing little
or no tannin. He names seven varieties belonging to group 1 in the
order of their commercial importance at that time, namely, Sumac,
Amber, Orange, Planter, Gooseneck, Honey, and Sapling. Each
of these is described in some detail.
Ball {^9) in 1912 presented a suggested classification in which
he divides the sorghums into five groups, broomcorn, shallu, sor-
ghum, kafir, and durra, after which he considers these groups sepa-
rately. A key to the groups is given first, followed by keys for
varieties in each group. This method is well suited to a classification
limited to the most important varieties, as it simplifies considerably
the task of differentiating the varieties within a group. It is not
adapted, however, for the identification of all varieties now being
grown in the Sorghum Belt. Intermediiate formisi are continually
appearing, either through natural crossing in the fields, e. g., Schrock
and darso, or through directed effort at experiment stations, like
Beaver and Chiltex. These intermediates cannot be definitely placed
in any of the groups by the use of the suggested group key.
The characters used in separating the groups are in descending
importance (1) juiciness of pith, (2) density of panicle, (3) rachis
length compared with head length or position of head, and (4)
minor characters such as spikelet shape, seed color, and shape of
panicle. Keys for identifying varieties within a group make use
of the above characters and several others such as the color, thick-
ness, and presence of pubescence on the glumes, the diameter of
the stems, the overlapping of the leaf sheaths, and the length of the
seed as compared with that of the outer glumes.
Ball {SO) in 1913 published a somewhat technical discussion of
the kaoliangs, a group of sorghums which are grown to the prac-
tical exclusion of other varieties in northern China, Manchuria, and
Chosen (Korea), but which never succeeded in the United States
in competition with the sorghums originating in Africa. This pro-
fusely illustrated bulletin of 64 pages leaves little to be desired in
the way of information on kaoliangs. The author classifies 58 sep-
arate introductions into 27 varieties ; 5 of these had white seeds and
22 brown seeds. Color of seeds is the basis of the primary division ;
color of glumes secondary ; the third rank is dependent on the shade
of color and shape of the seed; and the fourth rank on the size,
density, and shape of the panicle. The varietal names applied are
evidently improvised and more or less descriptive.
Ball and Eothgeb {32) in 1913 collaborated in a publication on
the fcafirs. A simple key for the identification of the five varieties
is given, and detailed descriptions of each variety are included.
Pink kafir is listed along with White, BlackhuU, Dwarf, and Red.
 COMMON SORGHUM VARIETIES 19

Churchill and Wright {U) in 1914 issued a bulletin in which con-

siderable space is devoted to varietal descriptions. The illustrations
are very helpful, providing visual comparisons of milos, kafirs, dur-
ras, kaoliangs, and shallu. White milo, similar to the yellow milo
except for the seed and glume colors, as well as darso, a new hybrid,
was described, perhaps for the first time. This white milo is entirely
distinct from the variety first described by Ball {26. p. 32) under
this name. The " white millo maize " of Ball did not in fact belong
to the milo group, but was more closely related to the kafirs. Ball
recognized this and suggested the name "Guinea kafir for this variety.
The white milo of Churchill and Wright is a true milo.
Piper {117) in his book published in 1914 (revised in 1924) in-
cluded a brief ^ statement regarding the botany of sorghums and
their classification by groups. In his proposed ¿ey for these groups
he adopted the classification proposed by Ball {29) with minor mod-
ifications and the addition of another group to include Sudan grass
and Tunis grass. In the first edition he places sorghum in the genus
Andropogon, but in the revised edition he accepts the Persoon genus
SoTffhvym^ separating this group from other Andropogons. The cul-
tivated sorghums are listed as Sorffhrnm sorghmn^ Sudan grass as S.
sorghum var. Sudanese^ and Johnson grass as S. Jmlepense, Stapf
{H3) regarded the wild forms of grass sorghums in Africa as distinct
species, but Piper contended that they together with the cultivated
sorghums represented one species because " all the wild forms cross
with the cultivated varieties with great readiness."
Piper {110)^ early in 1915 presented a critical analysis of the botani-
cal relationships of Andropogon halepensis and A. sorghum. Keys
for the identification of different subspecies in the grass sorghum and
Johnson grass group are provided. He followed this later in the
same year with an article {116^ p, 110) supporting the theory that
the grass sorghums of Africa are the prototype of the cultivated
sorghums. This theory was first propounded by Hackel in 1886,
but in such manner that a majority of botanists considered that he
referred to the rootstock forms like Johnson grass. Piper clears up
this misunderstanding, showing that Hackel really referred to the
group of wild sorghums that did not possess rootstocks, which are
now called grass sorghums, designated by Hackel as Andropogon
sorghum effusus. A, sorghum virgatus^ and A. sorghum oetMoptcus,
The theory of Hackel and Piper has been confirmed by Longley
{102) and others in cytological investigations showing that the grass
sorghums have the same number (10 haploid) of chromosomes as the
cultivated sorghums, while Johnson grass has twice that number.
Vinall and Edwards {151) in 1916 described certain sorghum
varieties recently introduced into the United States. Information
regarding the history and brief but detailed descriptive notes are
given for Dwarf hegari, "Improved feterita". Dwarf feterita,
white milo, and " Schrock kafir." The feterita (F. C. 811) described
as Dwarf feterita has been shown later not to be a true dwarf.
Rothgeb {123) in 1916 published a short bulletin on dwarf broom-
corn. He introduces the new name Acme (Dwarf Standard) for a
variety resembling Standard in the length of the brush but more
like dwarf broomcorn in its height and the manner in which the
20 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 5 0 6, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE

brush (panicle) can be disjointed from the stem by jerking it. This
feature contributes to the ease and lessens the expense of harvesting
the brush.
Conner and Karper {52) in 1917 published a brief note giving the
results of measurements of the internodes and leaf sheaths of milo
and kafir at Lubbock, Tex., in 1916. The data showed that while en-
vironmental conditions had a marked effect on the length of the
internodes, the length of the leaf sheath did not vary to any extent.
The overlapping of the leaf sheath is of course dependent on the rela-
tive lengths of the intemode and its accompanying sheath. The
authors conclude, therefore, that this character is not a reliable one
to use as a classification factor.
Madson {104) in 1917 gave directions for the production of grain
sorghums in California. He also gave a few pages to descriptions
of types and varieties, including 6 varieties of kafir, 3 of milo, 4
kaoliangs, and 2 durras, besides feterita and shallu.
McArthur {103) in 1918 described a number of varieties then
being grown in New Mexico and included a " key for the identifica-
tion of grain sorghums." This publication was intended for the
extension worker, and, although the recommendations regarding soil
adaptations and rules for selecting to improve the type are no doubt
useful, the descriptions are incomplete and the key for identification
of varieties wholly inadequate and in some respects inaccurate.
Eothgeb {12Jf) in 1918 published a treatise on standard broom-
corn, supplementing his previous bulletin {123), Very little atten-
tion is given to classification. The author says that there are two
chief kinds of broomcorn, the Standard and the Dwarf, and he lists
nine varietal names that have been applied to standard broomcorns.
Ball and Eothgeb {33) in 1918 published results of grain sorghum
experiments in the Texas Panhandle and included a key to the prin-
cipal varieties within the groups. These keys were based on those
previously developed by Ball {29) and Ball and Eothgeb {32).
Hensel {77) in 1919, in a publication wherein he disclaims any
credit for original ideas, suggests that the more than 200 so-called
" varieties " may be very largely local names for forms derived from
Amber, Orange, Sumac, Gooseneck, and Honey.
Willaman, West, and Bull {168) in 1919 proposed a key for the
classification of a limited number of sorgo varieties. In addition the
botany of sorghum is discussed briefly. In their key the primary divi-
sion is based on the position of the peduncle, whether erect or re-
curved; the secondary division on the density of the panicle; the
third ranking on the comparative length of the rachis (central axis
of inflorescence) and the panicle; and final divisions within these
groups were based on glume and seed color.
Beeson and Daane {36) in 1919 described a new variety, darso
sorghum, which had originated in Oklahoma. This publication
provides the first authentic statement regarding the history and
characteristics of this variety.
Eothgeb {125) in 1920 described some new varieties in his bulletin
discussing the culture of grain sorghums. Dawn and Sunrise kafirs
had been originated several years previously by A. H. Leidigh and
liad by this time become more or less standardized.
 COMMON SORGHUM VARIETIES 21

Eothgeb {126) in 1920 in discussing milo presented some infor-

mation regarding its introduction into the United States and also
the characters of this group of sorghums.
Vinall and Getty {W2) in 1920 discussed the use of sorghums for
forage. It is suggested that the sorghums may be divided into four
broad groups, (1) sorgos, (2) grain sorghums, (3) grass sorghums,
and (4) broomcorns. Only sorgos and grain sorghums are con-
sidered in this bulletin, and the important varieties of each group
are listed.
Conner and Dickson {61) in 1921 reported on the origin and char-
acteristics of Spur feterita and gave a detailed account of its per-
formance at several stations in Texas.
Vinall and Getty {153) in 1921 published a résumé of information
regarding Sudan grass, including information on the introduction of
this grass sorghum and its botanical relationships with other species
of sorghum belonging to this group and their distribution in Africa.
Tunis grass {Sorghum virgatum (Hack.) Stapf), Kamerun grass
{S, effusum)^^ Tabucki grass {S. vertiGillißorum)^^ Hewison grass {S.
vulgäre hewisonii) ^ and " chicken corn " {S, vulgäre drwmmondii
(Nees) Hitchc.) are included in the discussion. A brief statement
regarding sorghum-Johnson grass hybrids calls attention to their
close resemblance to the grass sorghums. Illustrations of representa-
tive panicles of the different species are given.
Thompson {1^8) in 1923 reported on the production of sorghum in
Arizona, naming the most important varieties of the grain sorghums
and sorgos with brief descriptions of each. The author includes
Standard and Dwarf broomcorn and mentions Sudan grass, Johnson
grass, and Tunis grass as belonging to the sorghum family.
Sieglinger {1S6) in 1923 used the same key with minor modifica-
tions as that used earlier by Ball and Eothgeb {83), In their inclu-
sion of grass sorghums, however, these authors, unfortunately, added
Johnson grass, which is now properly placed in a different species
from the sorghums.
Vinall, Getty, and Cron {151^) in 1924 reported on experiments with
sorghums at various points in the Great Plains. The grouping of
the sorghums is the same as that proposed in a previous publication
of Vinall and Getty, and no classification of the varieties is attempted.
There are, however, extensive records respecting the growing season,
height, grain yields, and forage yields of numerous varieties, together
with illustrations showing the habit of growth and general appearance
of certain ones.
Sieglinger {137) in 1924 called attention to the presence of a brown
subcoat or nucellar layer in feterita, Dwarf hegari, BlackhuU kaoli-
ang, and certain brown-seeded sorgo varieties; also the absence of this
nucellar layer in White and Eed kafirs, White and Yellow milos, and
White durra. Data respecting the manner of inheritance of this
factor are presented.
8 Sorghum effusum (Hack.) Vinall. Andropogon sorghum subsp. halepensis var.
eftusus Hack., in DC, Monog. Phan. 6 : 503. 1889.
«Sorghum verticilliflorum (Steud.) Vinall. Andropogon verticilliflorus Steud., Syn.
PI. Gram. 393. 1854.
"^Sorghum vulgäre var. hewisonii (Piper) Vinall. Andropogon sorghum hewisonii Piper,
Biol. Soc. Wash. Proc. 28 : 41. 1915.
22 TECHNICAL. BULLETIN 5 0 6, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTUEE

Gibbons (70) about 1924 published a bulletin discussing the pro-

duction of broomcorn in Oklahoma which included a brief section on
classification and varieties. He states the classification proposed was
suggested by Sieglinger {138).
Cowgill {S5) in 1926, after several years spent in observation of
sorgo varieties under field conditions at Fort Smith, Ark., published a
study of the panicle characters of these varieties which adds greatly to
the knowledge concerning the details of these characters. The illus-
trations in this bulletin are especially commendable and contribute
much to a clear understanding of the details of structure in the spike-
lets. After describing the chief panicle characters which differentiate
the varieties, the author discusses varietal groups and presents a
synoptical key of varieties and finally a detailed description of those
varieties grown under his observation at Fort Smith. The rank or
value of characters used in classifying the varieties are as follows :
(1) Relative compactness of the panicle, (2) comparative exsertion of the
caryopsis, (3) relative degree of thickening of the glumes, (4) form of spikelets,
and (5) color of spikelets or caryopses or special features of the panicle or
spikelets.
The three main groups under this sj^stem are, according to the com-
pactness of the panicle, (1) effuse, (2) contracted, and (3) compact.
The chief criticism of this otherwise excellent work is perhaps that
the sorghums studied were not in all cases truly representative of
the varieties as commonly grown in the sorghum belt; in addition,
the climate at Fort Smith, Ark., was such as to cause the panicle
branches to assume unnatural positions when mature.
Sieglinger {138) in 1928 published the first comprehensive classi-
fication of broomcorn varieties grown in the United States. His key
to groups and varieties of brobmcorn establishes 4 groups—standarcl,
European dwarf, western dwarf, and whisk dwarf. There are 5
varieties of standard, 1 of European dwarf, 2 of western dwarf, and
1 of the whisk dwarf. Acme, the dwarf-standard mentioned by
Kothgeb {123), is placed in the western dwarf group as a synonym
of Evergreen Dwarf. In his key the author made the height of the
stalk the basis of his primary division intO' groups. His secondary
division is based on the length of the peduncle and the firmness with
which it was attached at the base. Varieties within these groups
were separated on the basis of glume color, time required for ma-
turity, and certain other characters, such as position of seeds on the
panicle and quality or fineness of the brush. Detailed descriptions
of individual varieties are given, as well as brief statements regarding
the history of each.
Cowgill {66) in 1929 follow^ed his earlier publication {55) with a
more popular treatment of the subject for general distribution. The
descriptions of varieties are based on the study of panicle char-
acters reported in the earlier publication, but in addition the certain
characters of the stem, such as height and diameter, are mentioned,
and a list of synonyms is given.
Swanson {H6) in 1929, in an article devoted primarily to the
genetics of seed color in sorghums, explains and; illustrates the
morphology of the seed coats in different varieties. The chief point
of interest and value from a classification standpoint is the presence
in certain varieties of a pigmented subcoat or nucellar layer which
 COMMON" SOKGHUM VARIETIES 23

is not found in other varieties. Winton {169) first pointed out this
difference, but did not associate the character with as many varieties
as did Swanson. Swanson also developed the fact that the nucellar
layer was more or less visible through the pericarp when the meso-
carp layer was thin or poorly developed. In such cases the nucellar
layer became a contributing factor in the seed color.
Martin and Washburn {106) in 1930 provided the latest informa-
tion regarding broomcorn. Like preceding publications, this one
devotes most attention to culture, uses, and marketing. In addition,
however, they record interesting facts concerning the introduction
of this crop into the United States and the characteristics and re-
lationships of the principal varieties being grown. The classification
follows closely that given by Sieglinger {1S8) in 1928. The authors
divide the broomcorns into three groups^—standard, western dwarf,
and whisk dwarf. Evergreen, Black Spanish (Black Jap), and Cali-
fornia Golden ( Aksarben) are listed as the standard varieties ; Ever-
green Dwarf (Oklahoma Dwarf, Acme), Scarborough, and Black
ápanish Dwarf as dwarf varieties ; and Japanese Dwarf as the whisk
dwarf representative.
Karper et al. {93) in 1932 reported agronomic experiments with
grain sorghums in Texas, and Quinby et al. {118) in 1934 reported
the experiments with forage sorghums. While they do not give clas-
sifications of the eorghums, they do give partial descriptions of the
varieties grown in the State and useful information regarding the
history and distribution of varieties.
A similar treatment of the more important sorghums grown in
Oklahoma was given by Kiltz et al. {9Ji) in 1933.
Eecommendations for cultural practices under California condi-
tions were published by Hendry {76) in 1933. He gives brief descrip-
tions and rather complete histories of the varieties important in
California, but many of rather wide distribution in other parts of
the country are not grown there.
Getty {68) in 1934 included sorghums in his publication of experi-
ments with forage crops at Hays, Kans., and gave brief descriptions
of some varieties along with the agronomic data.
Swanson and Laude {H7) in 1934 also reported experiments with
sorghums in Kansas and included a classification which was pro-
posed for " practical purposes " and " agronomic rather than botani-
cal" (i^7, p, 12), In this classification there are 4 primary groups
and either 1 or 2 ranks of subdivisions in each group ; following the
subdivisions the varieties are listed. Their discussion includes the
description, history, and distribution of each variety.
Hume and Franzke {82) in 1934 reported the results of agronomic
experiments in South Dakota, but relied largely on previous publica-
tions for their descriptions of varieties.
BOTANICAL RELATIONSHIP OF THE GENUS SORGHUM
Sorghum belongs to the grass family, Poaceae (or Gramineae),
the subfamily Panicatae, and the tribe Andropogoneae. The genus
Sorghwm Moench (Meth. PI. 207, 1794), which is so closely related
to the native American wild grasses in the genera Andropogon and
Sorghastrum^ has the spikelets in pairs, one sessile and fertile, the
other pedicellate, sterile, usually staminate, the terminal sessile spike-
24 TECHNICAL BULLETIN^ 5 0 6, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTUKE

let with two pedicellate spikelets. The sorghums are usually tall,
robust grasses with flat leaf blades and terminal panicles. The two
natural divisions of the genus grown as field crops in the United
States are SorgJivmi Juilepense (L.) Pers., in which the plants are
perennial with creeping rhizomes and 20 chromosomes (Johnson
grass), and S. vulgäre Pers., annual plants with 10 chromosomes
(sorghums, Sudan grass, etc.) {85^ 91^ 102),
The name given this genus was adopted by Hitchcock (7P, p, 695;
80) in accordance with the rules of the International Botanical Con-
gress. Earlier he had applied the name Holcus to the genus (7^, p.
226)^ in accordance with the American code of nomenclature. The
cultivated sorghums all belong to Sorghmn vulgäre {Holcus sorghum
L.; Andropogon sorghuon Brot.).
Stapf {IJfS) in his discussion of the genus Sorghmn recognizes
a great many species. Cytological investigations by Longley {102)^
Karper {91)^ and Huskins and Smith (<9^, 86) indicate that the wild
grass sorghums (annuals) of Africa, so far as they have been ex-
amined, have, with one exception, the same number of chromosomes
as the ordinary cultivated sorghums. This certainly indicates a
common origin and close relationship between these two groups.
Since the botanical species are intended to indicate close relationship
and similarity in plants, it is suggested that the taxonomist can
make good use of the cytologist's findings in regar,d to the number
of chromosomes. The one exception to the 10-chromosome number
in the annual sorghums is S. versioolor Anderss., which has only
5 chromosomes.^ It would appear logical, therefore, to give this a
species rank but to consider all the 10-chromosome forms as S, vul-
çare^ listing the variations as subspecies or varieties.
DESCRIPTION OF THE SORGHUM PLANT
The sorghum plant is a coarse annual with culms 2 to 15 feet and
sometimes more in height. The culms consist of a hard cortical
layer or shell filled with pith interspersed with vascular bundles
and are made up of 7 to 18 or more nodes and internodes. Each
internode is channeled on one side, the channels of adjacent inter-
nodes being on opposite sides of the culm. The surface of the culms,
sheaths, and leaves is glaucous. A leaf arises at each node, alternating
on opposite sides, and the leaves thus appear approximately in a
plane. The leaf blades are glabrous with a glossy or waxy surface,
although some hairs occur on the upper surface at the base of the
leaf blade. The margins of the leaves bear sharp, curved teeth.
Numerous motor (hygroscopic) cells are located near the midrib on
the upper side of the leaf, and these facilitate rapid folding of the
leaf blades during dry weather.
A bud is formed at each node of the culm except the terminal
one, and w^hen small lies within the channel of the internode. These
buds under some conditions give rise to side branches.
The inflorescence of sorghum is a panicle of varying size and
density with many primary branches borne on a hairy axis. The
*This discovery of a 5-chromosome species was made first by A. E. Longley, associate
botanist, Division of Genetics and Biophysics, Bureau of Plant Industry, U. S. Depart-
ment of Agriculture. The drawings published in 1932 {102, fig. 3) were prepared by
Longley in November 1925. He first reported his findings in an unpublished paper
presented at a meeting of the Botanical Society of America in December 1928. Longley's
observations were verified by Karper in 1930 {91).
 COMMON SOEGHUM VARIETIES 25

spikelets are ellipsoidal^ of varying length and diameter, and usually

somewhat compressed dorsiventrally. The sessile spikelets are per-
fect and usually fertile, but the pedicellate are sterile or staminate.
The lemma and palea are thin and translucent. The lemma may be
either awned or awnless.
DEVELOPMENT OF THE SORGHUM PLANT
Upon germination of a sorghum seed, the radicle elongates and
produces a single seminal root. The coleoptile elongates to a certain
extent and, together with the plumule enclosed within it, is pushed
up to the surface of the soil by the elongation of the subcrown inter-
node below the coleoptile. The plumule then grows out of the coleop-
tile, and the crown begins to form at the base of the coleoptile. At
high soil temperatures the subcrown internode sometimes extends
above the surface of the soil and the crown is formed there. Perma-
nent roots develop from the crown and push downward and outward
into the soil. Some rootlets are found on the subcrown internode
scattered throughout its length. The secondary roots are rather
fibrous and numerous.
Buds are formed at each node of the sorghum stem both above and
below the surface of the soil. Below the soil surface the nodes are
closely crowded together. The buds are formed on opposite sides of
the culm at each successive node. Each plant produces eight or more
crown buds. When conditions are favorable for tillering, one or more
of these crown buds elongates to produce the tiller or sucker stalks.
The tillers may be the same height as the main stalks or considerably
taller or shorter, depending upon the growing conditions at the time
the tillers are elongating. Each plant, as time and opportunity per-
mit, can produce as many tillers as there are tiller buds in the crown.
Each tiller develops an independent root system and also the usual
number of crown buds. If satisfactory growing conditions continue,
the tillers can themselves produce secondary tillers, permitting the
development of a large number of stalks from a single seed.
VARIETAL STUDIES

The present investigations are the outgrowth of a long series of

variety tests conducted by the United States Department of Agricul-
ture on field stations in the Great Plains. In 1915 all of the foreign
introductions, as far as viable seed was available, were grown at
Bard, Calif., under irrigation. This test Avas designed to provide
material for classification studies and a determination of the limits
of variation in sorghums. A fairly complete herbarium of pressed
specimens representing portions of the stem with leaves attached and
corresponding mature heads of these plants was collected, and detailed
descriptive notes were recorded from growing plants in the field.
This extensive comparison of types from practically all countries
where the sorghums are grown proved rather conclusively that there
are no distinct lines of demarcation between the different groups of
sorghums; the sorgos grade insensibly into the kafirs through inter-
mediates with more or less juicy stems, and, on the other hand, certain
kafirs are almost indistinguishable from hegari, and the hegari blends
with feterita, which in turn is connected by intermediates with durra,
26 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 5 0 6, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE

and the latter in the same way with milo. This condition is perhaps
a natural one in a crop which cross-pollinates as freely as the sor-
ghums. With this in mind, and also the fact that crosses of the
groups are being made in considerable numbers, and these hybrids
obviously cannot be placed in either of the parent classes, it has
seemed undesirable to emphasize the groups in a varietal key intended
for identification purposes. A discussion of all the numerous inter-
mediates would only result in confusion ; therefore this study is limited
to the varieties that have been grown in the United States and have
assumed some importance in practical agriculture.
The principal tests were located at Hays, Kans., Woodward, Okla.,
and Chillicothe, Tex., stations fairly representing the northern,
middle, and southern sections of the principal sorghum-growing area
of the United States. The varietal tests have been in progress at these
points from 15 to 20 years. Data obtained under these conditions are
believed to represent accurately the normal behavior of each variety.
The extensive series grown in southern California, beginning at Bard
in 1915 and continued at Chula Vista, were irrigated. While the
growth measurements were no doubt relatively correct, they did not
represent so accurately as the tests in the Great Plains the natural
behavior of the plants. Figures 1 and 2 show field cultures of Minne-
sota Amber sorgo at Hays, Kans., and BlackhuU kafir at Chillicothe.
Tex., respectively.
Efforts were begun in 1924 to compile the data from the several
stations, and arrangements were made with the Division of Crop and
Livestock Estimates of the Bureau of Agricultural Economics, United
States Department of Agriculture, for a survey of the acreage and
distribution of the principal varieties being grown commercially.
These survey data, collected in 1925, provide the basis for the distri-
bution maps.
The history of each variety was compiled from publications ot the
United States Department of Agriculture, State experiment stations,
books, agricultural papers, and other published and unpublished
material. The origin of some of the early varieties will always
remain in doubt, but the records of those originating after the Depart-
ment of Agriculture and the State experiment stations began to
observe and study the crop are fairly authentic. Several unknown
varieties were encountered in the varietal survey, but in each case
these apparently had a very limited distribution and their omission
from this bulletin therefore seems warranted.
ESTABLISHING VARIETAL TYPES

In the test made at Bard, Calif., 1915-18, approximately 800 sep-

arate lots or numbers obtained from domestic and foreign sources
were seeded in 12-foot rows 42 inches apart. Much of this seed was
old, and perhaps not over 75 percent of the lots produced stands.
Many of the sorgos were grown from seed that had been preserved
through successive generations by the Department of Agriculture
from the early work with this crop at Medicine Lodge, Kans., and
other points. ^Most of the varieties were represented by from 10 to
2C strains, all of a similar type and differing only in minor character-
 COMMON SORGHUM VARIETIES 27

^NZ-^Éa ^tk^mlLÁt^ \ t.A .. ' äL. M

>
r

PiGUEB 1.—Experimental plot of Minnesota Amber sorgo at Hays, Kans., showing ap-
pearance in the field and the usual variation in panicle characters due mainly to
differences in stage oí maturity.

nMi^1 r^- --'■■ •'■ï#--:-1

BaBflfetfl^i^fflMM

;''5; ■^^■•- ■'k*\ ■'IHBHKidl^^EllH

warn JwÊÊOrS^^^^S^ -K v^

A&ièr- I "î ,-&^ -^r*^^^?^^

FiGUBB 2.—Experimental plot of BlackhuU kafir at Chillicothe, Tex., showing appearance

in the field and the slight variation in panicle characters of this variety.
28 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 5 0 6, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE

istics. This extensive collection served to fix in the minds of ob-

servers the distinctive characteristics of each variety and to form a
basis for choosing the varietal type as described here.
In the tests conducted on field stations in the Great Plains, numer-
ous introductions from foreign countries as well as many accessions
from domestic sources were included first in rod-row tests and later
in plots if they exhibited any promise of usefulness. By a process
of elimination the number of varieties was gradually reduced to about
50 or 60. These were grown in ■^- or 2V "^cre plots usually replicated
2 or 3 times. Constant attention was given to the purification and im-
provement of the variety by bagging heads and selecting seed from
the best typical plants.
In establishing varietal types an attempt has been made to have
them conform to early descriptions when such were available. The
type concept for each variety as indicated in the illustrations and de-
scriptions is a product of these early descriptions and later observa-
tions made on experiment stations at Bard, Calif., and in the Great
Plains as well as on farms throughout the Sorghum Belt. It is of the
greatest importance that the descriptions of varieties should be based
on authentic material grown under conditions favorable to the pro-
duction of the crop where a normal development of the plants is
assured.
CHARACTERS USED TO DESCRIBE VARIETIES
Unfortunately, only a few of the characters of sorghum are definite
and uninfluenced by environment. Such differences as white con-
trasted with colored kernels, starchy as contrasted with waxy en-
dosperms, or the presence as contrasted with the absence of a nucellar
layer are definite and easily determined. On the other hand, shape
of panicle, size of kernels, height of plant, and many other characters,
while inherently different in different varieties, are so influenced by
environment that their value in descriptions is very limited. Since
there are not enough definite characters to distinguish between all the
varieties, it is necessary to use the less definite characters also.
PLANT CHARACTERS
MATURITY

The time of maturity is an important varietal characteristic in sor-

ghums. This character varies widely in different seasons and is
affected also by date of planting, early planting usually resulting
in a longer growing season than late planting, unless the planting
is so late that maturity is retarded by cool weather in autumn. The
relative order of maturity of varieties is fairly constant, although
occasional shifts in the usual order occur under different environ-
ments resulting from different dates of planting at the same location.
Some varieties are more sensitive than others to environmental dif-
ferences, insofar as time and maturity are concerned. In classifying
varieties for maturity, averages for a considerable period of years
have been used, except for varieties grown only a few years, and
these latter have been compared with standard varieties of known
maturity. Considering the number of days as the period between
 COMMON SORGHUM VARIETIES 29

planting and maturity under average conditions, the following arbi-

trary classes have been used in the descriptive notes of varieties :
Very early 90 days or less.
Early 91 to 100 days.
Early to midseason 101 to 108 days.
Midseason 109 to 114 daj^s.
Midseason to late 115 to 120 days.
Late 121 to 124 days.
Very late 125 or more days.
These averages are subject to considerable environmental fluctua-
tion, and under extreme conditions a variety may be as much as 25
days earlier or later than the average period. Comparative periods
of maturity or dates of heading are a reliable measure of the rela-
tive maturity of sorghum varieties when varieties of known growth
habits are included in the tests.

The height of sorghum plants varies widely with environment and

shows some fluctuation of relative heights under different conditions.
The comparative heights are rather consistent, however, except when
a tall or a late variety is stunted by drought or other factors and
prevented from making a normal development. In general, varieties
more than 72 inches in average height are regarded as tall, whereas
those less than 48 inches are regarded as dwarf. A few very short
or extra-dwarf varieties seldom reach 40 inches and often are 30
inches or less. Height is determined by both the length and the
number of internodes, but chiefly by the length.
STEM CHARACTERS
DIA METIER

The thickness of stem is of some value in identification. Varieties

described as thick-stemmed have a stem diameter at the lower inter-
nodes of 1 inch or more, whereas the stem diameter of varieties
classed as slender does not exceed five-eighths of an inch. Early
varieties usually have slenderer stems than late varieties.
JUICINESS

All sorghum stalks contain considerable juice before maturity. As

the plants approach maturity and thereafter, the moisture content of
the stalks gradually decreases.
Sorghums differ widely in the apparent juiciness of the pith of
the stalks although the range in actual moisture content of the pith
may not exceed 20 percent. The pith of stalks regarded as juicy
has a watery appearance and yields considerable juice under pres-
sure. The pith of the so-called dry-stemmed varieties has a some-
what dry, white appearance and yields much less juice under pres-
sure. As a class, the sorgos are very juicy; the kafirs are mid-juicy;
and broomcorn, kaoliang, durra, and shallu are ordinarily regarded
as dry. The milos are somewhat intermediate in juiciness between
durra and kafir. In determining the juiciness of the stalk of sor-
ghum varieties, it is not necessary to examine the interior of the
stems because the juiciness or lack of juiciness of the stems is indi-
30 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 50 6, tJ. S. DEPT. OP AGRICULTURE

eated in a broad way by the midrib of the ieaf. Juicy varieties

have a dull gray or cloudy midrib, due to the presence of the abun-
dant juice. Dry-stalked varieties, on the other hand, have a pure
white midrib, owing to the lack of juice.
SWEETNESS

The juice of the sorgos is sweet, whereas that of grain sorghums

is not sweet or only slightly sweet. The differences are due to the
relative quantity of sugar accumulated in the juice of the stem. In
determining sweetness of varieties for the descriptions, sugar
analyses were not made, but relative sweetness was estimated by
taste.
TILLERING

The number of tillers formed is to some extent a varietal charac-

teristic. Certain kafirs and kaoliangs tiller rather sparsely, whereas
most sorgos, milos, feteritas, and hegari tend to tiller freely. Favor-
able growing conditions with an abundance of moisture and ample
space for individual plants favor the development of tillers. Cer-
tain varieties, like ßeed kafir, produce few tillers even under very
favorable conditions. Tillering varieties that do not develop any
tillers in an unfavorable environment may produce as many as 8 or
10 primary tillers per plant under good conditions. As an average
for an entire field, however, three tillers per plant are about the
maximum, unless the stand of plants is thin. The number of tillers
developed depends upon both the environment and the varietal
tendency in the development of crown buds.
BRANCHING

All sorghums can produce branches, since buds are borne at all
nodes except the upper one, which produces the terminal leaf. The
buds ordinarily do not develop into branches until the stem is ap-
proaching maturity, and under ordinary conditions not more than one
or two branches are produced. The upper bud usually produces the
first branch, and the succession of branches proceeds down the stalk.
Varieties of sorghum differ considerably in the tendency to branch,
early varieties being more subject to branching because they reach
maturity before the close of the growing season. In the Sorghum
Belt of the United States the frost-free period is not sufficiently
long to permit the development of branches in the late varieties.
All varieties will branch eventually if the plant is uot killed, and
the branching may proceed down the stalk until all of the nodal
buds have developed.
LEAF CHARACTERS
NUMBER

The number of leaves has long been regarded as a varietal charac-

teristic. The number of leaves at maturity is also a measure of the
number of nodes in the stem above the surface of the soil. Each node
produces a leaf, but the small leaves produced by the nodes in the
crown usually have dried and disappeared before the plant is mature.
Early varieties of sorghum have about 7 to 9 leaves above the crown.
 COMMOK SOEGHUM VARIETIES 31

while late varieties may produce 15 or more. The number of leaves

is directly correlated with the period of maturity of varieties. In
the variety descriptions, those varieties which on the average have
10 leaves or less to the stalk are classed as sparsely leaved, those with
11 to 13 leaves as mid-leafy, and those with 14 or more leaves as leafy.
MIDEIB COLOR

The color of the midrib is of value in descriptions. The white and

cloudy (dull gray) midrib color has been previously mentioned in
connection with the juiciness of the stalk. In addition to these two
colors, there is a yellow midrib characteristic of milo, caused by the
presence of a yellow pigment (carotin) in the pith immediately un-
derlying the cortical layers of the midrib on the upper leaf surface.
These outer layers of the midrib are translucent and permit the ex-
pression of colors or juice in the underlying pith.
In the descriptions varieties are classified as having white, cloudy,
or yellow midribs. In varieties having white midribs the whole
midrib of a mature leaf is pure white, and usually the white ap-
pearance has completely developed in half-grown leaves, but in the
leaves of seedlings or very young leaves of older plants the midribs
usually are cloudy. The cloudy characteristic, as previously noted,
is due to the presence of juice or sap in the midrib. This juice may
extend entirely across the midrib and usually does in young leaves,
but as the plant nears maturity the amount of juice diminishes, leav-
ing a white streak in the center of the midrib. The width of this
white streak varies in different leaves, plants, varieties, and seasons,
but all varieties that have leaf midribs with cloudy margins—that is,
with midribs not totally white—are classed as cloudy. Yellow pig-
ment in the midribs is variable, and frequently it is apparent only
in a few leaves or portions of leaves. The yellow does not cover up
the cloudy appearance, but those varieties in which some yellow
coloring develops are classified as having yellow midribs.
OVERLAPPING OF SHEIATHS

Varietal differences occur in the number of leaves, length of leaf

sheaths, and length of internodes in the sorghums, with consequent
differences in the overlapping of the sheaths. The leaf sheath at-
tached at one node may not reach the next node above in some varie-
ties, while in others it may overlap the sheaths attached at several
higher nodes.
Conner and Karper (SS) have shown that the length of internode is
influenced much more than the length of sheath by environment, and
that overlapping of sheaths is of minor value in describing varieties.
Since there are varietal differences, however, when the compared vari-
eties are grown under either normal or like conditions, this character
has been used. The degrees of overlapping shown in the descriptions
are : None if the leaf sheath does not reach the node above that to
which it is attached, slightly or little if it extends just beyond the first
node, moderately ii it extends to the second node, and much if it
extends beyond the second node.
32 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 5 0 6, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE

COLEIOPTILE COLOR

Eeed {WO) separated the color of the coleoptiles of sorghum seed-

lings into either red or green, although the green coleoptiles of some
varieties may show traces of pink or purple color. The red color may
sometimes extend to other seedling tissues. It is controlled by a
simple dominant factor and is of value in distinguishing between some
varieties or hybrids.
PANICLE CHARACTERS
LENGTH

The panicles of the cultivated varieties of sorghums, except broom-

corn, average from about 5 to about 12 inches in length, extreme
lengths of normal panicles ranging from 3 to 18 inches. Most varieties
of milo, feterita, and durra and also Sumac sorgo have relatively
short panicles, usually less than 8 inches in length; kafirs usually
have long panicles, more than 9 inches in length; while different
varieties of sorgo may have either long or short panicles. The
panicle length depends mainly upon the length of the rachis and the
upper panicle branches and to a less extent upon the position of the
branches, whether appressed or spreading. Environmental factors
modify the panicle length in all varieties.

The position of the panicle is described as (1) erect or (2) inclined

or recurved. Recurving is the bending of the peduncle during the
heading period, caused, as shown by Conner and Karper {SS) and by
Martin {106) ^hj a thick heavy panicle being forced out the side of
the sheath, followed by the bending of the young soft peduncle, which
has not yet become sufficiently lignified to provide the stiffness to
support the panicle. After recurving occurs the peduncle becomes
lignified and stiff and thus is permanently recurved. Recurved pe-
duncles in the sorghums cultivated in the United States are confined
to certain varieties of milo and milo hybrids, durra, and Gooseneck
sorgo. Recurving is most abundant when the plants are thinly spaced
and growing under favorable conditions at heading time. Under
such conditions large, heavy heads are produced, and the rapidly elon-
gating peduncle is not stiff enough to hold the heads erect when they
emerge from the sheath. The rachis branches of long, rapidly grow-
ing broomcorn panicles sometimes recurve, but this is different from
the recurving of the peduncle.
DENSITY

The density of the panicle is here divided into three arbitrary

classes—effuse, mid-compact, and compact. Effuse panicles have
long branches usually spread out in open, treelike fashion but often
drooping to one side as in shallu and broomcorn. In compact panicles
the branches and branchlets are shortened to such an extent that the
mature seeds seem to be crowded together. Panicles classed as mid-
compact are intermediate between the effuse and compact classes in
the length and position of the rachis branches.
 COMMON SOEGHUM VARIETIES 33

SHAPE

The shape of the sorghum panicle is determined by the combined

effects of the number and position of the panicle branches and the
length of branches in different parts of the panicle.
EACHIS LENGTH

The length of the rachis (axis of the inflorescence) with reference

to the total length of the panicle constitutes an important character
in determining the shape of the panicle. In a panicle having a rachis
nearly the full length of the inflorescence the branches toward the
tip are usually progressively shorter and the panicle is tapering at the
tip. If the rachis is much shorter than the panicle the tip branches
obviously are long and tend to give the panicle a clávate shape.
The extreme case of a short rachis is in a well-formed broomcorn
panicle in which the branches arise in a compressed series of whorls
and extend far beyond the end of the rachis. .^ i ^i.
The rachis of a sorghum panicle is furrowed throughout its length,
the number of furrows and ridges varying from 5 to 9. Some
varietal differences also exist in the depth of the furrows, and m
the abundance of pubescence on the rachis as pointed out by Cowgill
(55).
RACHIS BRANCHES

The branches of the rachis are arranged in more or less definite

whorls with a few branches arising between the whorls. Each
panicle consists of 4 to 16 whorls with 3 to 9 branches arising at
each whorl. The rachis branches range in length from a half inch
to occasionally as much as 7 or 8 inches in sorghums other than
broomcorn, while in the latter they range from about 12 to 24 inches
or even longer. Compact-headed varieties have short branches. In
the descriptions of varieties the branches are classed as short, mid-
long, and long.
The position of the rachis branches varies among the sorghum
varieties and is listed under three classes—appressed, spreading, and
drooping. Appressed branches lie close to the rachis at an angle
not greater than 30°. Drooping branches have tips lower than the
base. Spreading branches are intermediate between the other two
classes
GLUME CHARACTERS OF SESSILE SPIKELETS
PUBESCENCE

The glumes of nearly all sorghums are at least partly pubescent,

although some are nearly glabrous. In the very pubescent types,
such as some durras and broomcorns, the pubescence is dense over
the entire surface of the glume. This extremely pubescent type of
glume also is expressed in the plants by excessive hairiness on the
upper surface at the bases of the leaves. Most of the pubescence is
found on the upper half of the glumes and along the edges. At
maturity the pubescence tends to become detached from the glumes
and mature glumes of some varieties are nearly free from pubescence.
Threshing also detaches much of the pubescence, and excessively
22613—36-
 34 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 5 0 6, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE

pubescent types are disagreeable to thresh because the pubescence

causes an irritation of the eyes and skin which is sometimes called
" broomcorn itch."
COLOR

Glumes of sorghum varieties are of various colors, including white

(or straw colored) and shades of red and brown, shading into reddish
black and black. The colors can usually be distinguished v/ithout
much difficulty if it is borne in mind that they are not fully developed
in the immature panicle and that after maturity weathering often
results in fading and uneven distribution.

The shape of the glume surface as viewed from the exterior is

described according to common descriptive terms, such as elliptic,
ovate, and obovate. Those having a pronounced bulge or outward
swelling at or near the middle are described as gibbous. Some have
a narrow transverse depression across the glume, as in milo. This
has long been regarded as a characteristic typical of milo, although
some milo hybrids, such as Beaver, Wheatland, and Fargo, do not
possess this character. The development of the large obovoid kernels
pushes the upper portion of the glumes outward as the kernels
enlarge. This outward bending greatly accentuates the crease. If the
kernel is removed from the spike'let while still small, the glume is only
slightly wrinkled.
The tip of the sorghum glume is usually either acute (sharp) or
obtuse (dull), but occasionally is rounded or nearly truncate (square).
The glume tips of many varieties are somewhat intermediate between
the acute and obtuse type, and often the tips split or break oiï, making
exact description difficult.
TEXTURE

The texture of glumes is described as indurate (hard), coriaceous

(leathery), or chartaceous (papery). Most varieties have indurate
glumes, which in some cases are thicker than in others. Thickness of
the glume is difficult to measure and therefore is of little value in
description.
There are varietal differences in the venation of sorghum glumes,
as pointed out by Cowgill {55), but these differences are too variable
and difficult to determine for general use in these descriptions.
AWNEDNESS

The lemma of sorghums is very thin, papery, and fragile and is of

little value for identification purposes except for the presence or
absence of awns. Sieglinger, Swanson, and Martin {I4O) divided
the awned character into four genetically and morphologically differ-
ent classes, namely, strong awned, weak awned, tip awned, and awn-
less. The classes used here for descriptive purposes are awned and
awnless. The base of the awn is attached at about the middle of the
lemma, and the awn extends considerably beyond the lemma and
glumes, rarely less than 4 or 5 mm. In most awned varieties the awn
IS twisted and also geniculate (bent). Awnless glumes are of two
 COMMON SORGHUM VARIETIES 35

types. The lemma of kafirs has only a short rib extending from the
middle not quite to the tip of the lemma. Feterita and hegari lemmas,
cm the other hand, bear a short awn or pointed structure extending
to or a little beyond the tip of the lemma. These tip awns sometimes
are exposed but rarely are more than 2 mm long.
PEDICELLATE SPIKELETS

Sterile or staminate spikelets are borne on pedicels at the base of

each fertile or sessile spikelet. The pedicellate spikelets lie along
the face of the glumes of the sessile spikelets and may or may not
be staminate; sometimes they produce pollen, but they never con-
tain pistils and therefore do not produce seeds. Two pedicellate
spikelets are attached to the sessile spikelets at the tip of each sec-
ondary branch, but single pedicellate spikelets are attached in a
cluster to all of the other sessile spikelets. The characters of the
pedicellate spikelet of value in describing varieties are size, color,
and deciduousness. In many varieties the pedicellate spikelets are
small and rather inconspicuous, while in other varieties they are
considerably longer than the sessile spikelets. The color of the
glumes of the pedicellate spikelets may be the same as the sessile
spikelets, but often they are of a lighter color, frequently being
straw colored. In some varieties the pedicellate spikelets are largely
deciduous at maturity, while in others they remain attached to a
large extent.
STIGMA COLOR

Stigmas of sorghum flowers vary in color from pure white in

BlackhuU kafir to yellow in milo. Contrasts in stigma color are of
some use in distinguishing varieties during the blooming period.
KERNEL CHARACTERS
EXPOSURE

The exposure of the kernel is a rather important varietal charac-

teristic. It is determined by the relation between the size of the
glume and the size of the seed. In some varieties, such as broom-
corn and Amber sorgo, the glumes are as long as the kernels and
cover them entirely or nearly so. Kernels in some of the grain
sorghums are exposed beyond the ends of the glumes for more than
half their length. The width of the glumes near the tip determines
the opening between the glumes and affects the proportion of the
kernel that is exposed in the angle of the glumes. In general, the
more the kernel is exposed the easier it is separated from the glumes
in threshing. Shallu kernels differ from those of other sorghums
by rotating a quarter turn so that they are at maturity in a plane
perpendicular to the glumes.
SIZE

The size of the kernel in sorghums varies widely. Small-seeded

varieties weigh only about 8 to 10 g per thousand seeds. Mid-sized
seeds weigh from 12 to 24 g per thousand seeds on the average.
Large seeds usually weigh 25 to 35 g per thousand seeds, with occa-
sional lots of large-seeded feterita or milo weighing more than 40 g
36 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 5 0 6, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE

per thousand seeds. Some of the sorgos, particularly Sumac, have

very small seeds; most of the kafirs and many of the sorgos have
mid-sized seeds. The milos as a group have large seeds and the
feteritas very large seeds.
COLOR

The colors listed in the descriptions of sorghum kernels are white,

chalky white, pink, yellow, red, buff or brownish yellow, brown, and
reddish brown. Some white-seeded varieties also have red or brown
spots. The pigment of sorghum kernels is formed in two distinct
layers, (1) the epicarp (or outer layer of the pericarp), and (2) the
nucellar layer, which lies next to the aleurone layer of the endosperm.
The presence or absence of a nucellar layer can be detected by scrap-
ing off the outer layers. The nucellar layer is lacking in many
varieties but is always colored brown when present. Between the two
colored regions are other layers of cells, but the only one of con-
sequence in descriptions is the mesocarp. In most varieties the meso-
carp is thin, but in some sorghums (feterita, hegari, and Wonder)
it is thick. Yellow and red seeds have color in the epicarp only.
In the buff or light-brown varieties the nucellar layer is present. In
the dark-brown or reddish-brown varieties the nucellar layer is pres-
ent and the epicarp is colored. Chalky white varieties have the
brown nucellar layer but no color in the epicarp.
SHAPE

The shape of the kernel, as viewed from the dorsal (embryo) or

ventral (hilum) surfaces with the basal or hilum end below, usually
is oboviod, although some are more or less ovoid or ellipsoid. A few
varieties have kernels almost orbicular in outline. The seeds also
differ in the degree of dorsoventral flattening, durra seeds being
particularly flat, and others, such as feterita and milo, somewhat so.
In most of the sorghums the flattest surface is on the same side as
the embryo and the seeds most frequently come to rest with the
embryo underneath. Seeds of feterita and Grohoma, however, are
most flattened on the side opposite the embryo and usually come to
rest with the embryo above. A few varieties have a large scutellum
that extends above the endosperm, making the embryo region appear
very large.
ENDOSPERM

The endosperm of sorghum seeds ihay give either a starchy or a

waxy reaction when the iodine test is applied. Karper (92) deter-
mined the segregation of progenies resulting from crosses between
the two types and found the starchy character to be completely
dominant over the waxy.
The endosperm giving the starchy reaction consists of an outer
corneous portion and an inner chalky or soft starch portion. The
relative thickness of the corneous layer is to some extent a varietal
characteristic, although it is highly influenced by environment
(fig. 3).
 COMMON SORGHUM VARIETIES 37

^-1

I?

]]]
EMBRYO STARCHY CORNEOUS WAXY
ENDOSPERM ENDOSPERM ENDOSPERM

FIGURE 3.—Outline drawings oi dorsoventral and lateral cross sections of sorghum

seed, showing variations in (1) size and shape, (2) proportion of outer corneous and
inner soft starch in endosperm, and (3) size and shape of embryo : A, Standard feterita ;
B, Standard Yellow milo ; G, Blackhull kafir; D, hegari ; E, Orange sorgo; F, Sumac
sorgo; Q, Sapling sorgo; H, Gooseneck sorgo (endosperm waxy).
38 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 5 0 6, U. S. DÈPT. OF AGRICULTURE

KEY FOR IDENTIFICATION OF COMMON SORGHUM VARIETIES

A key for the identification of sorghum varieties should preferably
be based on easily distinguished kernel characters, so that the varieties
can be determined from seed samples, and otherwise on panicle char-
acters which allow for identification from head specimens. Plant
characters such as relative dates of maturity, height, and juiciness of
the stems, while very important from an agronomic standpoint, are
undesirable in an identification key unless taxonomic differences suf-
ficiently definite to distinguish between varieties from seed and panicle
characters do not exist.
In the key here presented, those kernel and panicle characters
which allow for the greatest contrast are given primary importance
and are used in regular order. Minor characters are used when
necessary to bring out varietal differences, and in no regular order.
With a number of closely related varieties and strains within varieties
no distinctions other than agronomic could be indicated.
Description
No.
la. Panicle branches less than 8 inches long.
2a. Nucellar layer absent.
3a. Awns absent.
4a. Kernels white.
5a. Glumes straw-colored or yellowish white.
Panicles mid-conipact, cylindroid, not well WHITE KAFIR 21
exerted from upper sheath.
5b. Glumes black or brownish black.
Kernels approximately same length as or
slightly longer than glumes.
Panicles cylindroid; plants mid season, REED KAFIR 18
mid-tall; stems mid-juicy, not
sweet.
Panicles obconoid to cylindroid, rela- WHITE AFRICAN 60
tively short; plants midseason to SORGO.
late, very tall; stems mid-juicy to
juicy, sweet.
Kernels much longer than glumes.
Panicles ellipsoid to cylindroid, usu-
ally tapering at apex and base.
Plants mid-tall to tall (aver- ATLAS SORGO 61
age 70 inches), midseason to
late; stems juicy and sweet.
Plants mid-tall to tall (aver- SUNRISE KAFIR 16
age 70 inches), midseason;
stems slightly sweet to
sweet.
Plants dwarf to mid-tall (aver- DAWN KAFIR 17
age 48 inches), early to mid-
season; stems not sweet.
Panicles cylindroid to clávate, usually
slightly flaring at apex.
Kernels white with dark spots.
Plants midseason (average 114 STANDARD BLACK- 12
days), mid-tall (average 56 HULL KAFIR.
inches).
Plants early to midseason (aV- DWARF BLACK- 13
erage 106-110 days), mid- HULL KAFIR.
tall (slightly shorter than
Standard).
WESTERN BLACK- 14
HULL KAFIR.
TEXAS BLACKHULL 15
KAFIR.
 COMMON SORGHUM VARIETIES 39
Description
No.
Kernels pearly white.
Panicles rather thick and PEARL KAFIR _ 19
shaped like Blackhull kafir.
Panicles narrower than those of RICE KAFIR. _ 20
Blackhull kafir.
4b. Kernels colored.
5a. Glumes straw-colored to reddish brown.
Kernels small to mid-size; panicles cylin-
droid, rather long and narrow; cole-
optiles green.
Kernels pink or nearly white with PINK KAFIR 22
pink necks; stigmas creamy white.
Kernels reddish brown to yellowish RED KAFIR--*-^ 23
red; stigmas yellow.
5b. Glumes dark reddish brown.
Kernels mid-size to large; panicles cylin-
droid (shorter and thicker than in Red
Of Pink kafir) ; coleoptiles red.
Kernels yellow; stigmas pale yellow__ WHEATLAND 32
3b. Awns present.
4a. Kernels white.
5a. Glumes straw-colored or yellowish white.
Panicles effuse, erect (but in shallu usually
drooping).
Glumes involute and spreading; ker- SHALLU 37
nels usually rotated and much ex-
posed.
Glumes not involute, appressed and
usually adhering to kernel.
Plants mid-tall to tall FREED^ 38
Plants dwarf DWARF FREED 39
Panicles compact, inclined to recurved.
Glumes pubescent; kernels much ñat-
tened.
Plants mid-tall WHITE DURRA 1
Plants dwarf (30-38 inches) DWARF WHITE 2
DURRA.
5b. Glumes black or brownish black.
Transverse wrinkle present; panicles in-
clined to recurved; coleoptiles red.
Plants midseason, mid-tall.
Stems mid-stout; stigmas yellow STANDARD WHITE 28
MILO.
Stems mid-stout to stout; stigmas DESERT BISHOP 35
creamy white (panicles slightly
longer and more pointed than in
Standard White milo).
Plants midseason, dwarf (about 48 DWARF WHITE MILO_ 29
inches) ; stigmas yellow.
Plants early to midseason, mid-tall. EARLY WHITE MILO_ 30
Stems mid-slender; stigmas yellow.
Transverse wrinkle absent; panicles not BISHOP 36
recurved; coleoptiles green.
4b. Kernels colored (salmon yellow or reddish
yellow).
5a. Glumes straw to reddish brown, not trans-
versely wrinkled.
Coleoptiles red.
Panicles mid-compact to effuse, peduncle FARGO- 33
erect but panicle often drooping.
Plants late, mid-tall.
Panicles compact, occasionally inclined
or recurved.
Plants early to mid-season, very dwarf BEAVER_ 31
(about 30 inches).
40 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 5 0 6, U. S. DEPT. OF AGEICULTURE

Description
No.
Coleoptiles green.
Panicles mid-compact, erect.
Plants late, mid-tall MANKO 34
5b. Glumes black to dark reddish brown,
transversely wrinkled.
Panicles inclined to recurved, coleoptiles
red.
Plants mid-tall (about 62 inches) STANDARD YELLOW 25
MILO.
Plants dwarf (about 48 inches) DWARF YELLOW 26
MILO.
Panicles occasionally recurved, usually
not exerted well from upper sheath; cole-
optiles red.
Plants very dwarf (about 30 inches) _ DOUBLEDWARF 27
YELLOW MILO.
2b. Nucellar layer present.
3a. Awns absent except for *'tip awns'' in feterita
and hegari.
4a. Kernels white.
5a. Glumes black.
Tip awns absent; kernels dull white.
Kernels approximately same length as or
only slightly longer than glumes, mid-
size; rachis branches appressed.
Panicles cylindroid; stems dry CHILTEX 8
Panicles ellipsoid; stems mid-juicy__ PREMO 9
Kernels extending beyond apices of
glumes and well exposed; glumes not so
prominent as in Chiltex and Premo;
stems dry.
Panicles cylindroid to ellipsoid; WONDER 11
rachis branches appressed.
Panicles ovoid to obovoid; rachis AJAX 10
branches appressed to sometimes
partly spreading.
Tip awns present.
Kernels very large and flattened on hilum STANDARD FETERITA. 4
side, chalky white; coleoptiles green;
stems dry or only slightly juicy.
Plants early, mid-tall; stems mid-
slender to mid-stout.
Plants early to midseason, mid-tall; SPUR FETERITA 5
stems mid-stout.
Plants early to midseason, dwarf; DWARF FETERITA___ 6
stem.s m.id-stout.
Kernels small to mid-size, not appreci- HEGARI 7
ably flattened on hilum side, white;
coleoptiles green; stems m.id-juicy.
4b. Kernels colored.
5a. Glumes black.
Endosperms starchy.
Kernels extending well beyond apices of
glumes, much exposed.
Kernels intense, very dark reddish
brown; coleoptiles red; stem.s juicy.
Panicles compact, cylindroid, short;
kernels small, nearly globose.
Plants midseason to late, tall SUMAC SORGO 43
Plants early to midseason, ir.id- EARLYSUMAC SORGO_ 44
tall.
Kernels reddish brown; coleoptiles
red; stem.s juicy.
Panicles mid-compact, cylindroid.
 COMMON SORGHUM VARIETIES 41
Description
No.
Kernels mid-size, obovoid, rela- SUGAR DRIP SORGO__ 66
tively broad and extending
almost half of length beyond
apices of glumes; glumes short,
broadly ovate.
Kernels small to m.id-size, ellip- SAPLING SORGO 55
soid, relatively long and extend-
ing less than half of length
beyond apices of glumes; glum.es
relatively narrow, ovate, or
ovate-elliptic.
Kernels buif or light brown (not red) ;
coleoptiles green; stems mid-juicy.
Panicles mid-com.pact, cylindroid to GROHOMA 40
fusiform, usually tapering at apex.
Kernels usually equal to or not so long
as glumes.
Coleoptiles red.
Panicles small, mid-compact to
effuse, ellipsoid to fusiform; rachis
branches mid-long and appressed
or slightly spreading.
Plants very early, mid-tall DAKOTAAMBER 48
Panicles large, effuse, conoid to SORGO.
ellipsoid; rachis branches mid-
long to long and spreading.
Plants early, tall MINNESOTA AMBER 46
SORGO.
Panicles m.id-compact, cylindroid or
approaching cylindroid; rachis
branches mid-long, appressed or
slightly spreading; glumes some-
times very dark reddish brown.
Plants midseason, tall FOLGER SORGO 59
Coleoptiles green.
Panicles small, sometimes efifuse and COLLIER SORGO 64
umbelliform, but more often with
rachis branches lying close to-
gether and drooping to one side;
rachis very short; rachis branches
long and fruited only near outer
ends.
Endosperms waxy.
Kernels usually equal to or shorter than
glumes; apices of glumes straw-colored.
Coleoptiles red.
Panicles cylindroid or approaching MCLEAN SORGO 62
cylindroid; pedicellate spikelets
long, persistent, conspicuous.
Kernels usually longer than glumes.
Coleoptiles green.
Panicles cylindroid to obconoid and SCHROCK 42
various shapes; pedicellate spike-
lets not conspicuous.
5b. Glumes mostly straw or reddish straw
colored but frequently with black
streaks, spots or bases.
Panicles compact; kernels longer than BROWN DURRA 3
glumes, brown, much flattened; glumes
straw-colored, pubescent; stems dry.
Panicles mid-compact; stems juicy.
Kernels dull reddish browii, well ex-
posed.
42 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 5 0 6, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE

Description
No.
Rachis branches mid-long, loosely
appressed.
Panicles mid-size to small, ap- ORANGE SORGO_ 50
proaching cylindroid but some-
times ellipsoid; plants mid-
season, mid-tall to tall.
Panicles mid-size, thick, cylin- KANSAS ORANGE 51
droid to ellipsoid or tending to SORGO.
be clávate; plants midseason to
late, tall.
Kernels buff or light brown, well ex-
posed.
Rachis branches mid-long.
Panicles ellipsoid to cylindroid; SOURLESS SORGO- 54
glumes occasionally somewhat
red or with black spots but
mostly straw-colored ; coleop-
tiles green.
Rachis branches mid-long to long,
frequently drooping to one side.
Panicles ellipsoid to obconoid or PLANTER SORGO 56
variable in shape and tending
toward effuse; glumes fre-
quently black at base and some-
times second glume entirely
black; pedicellate spikelets
large, persistent and conspicu-
ous; coleoptiles red.
5c. Glumes red or reddish brown.
Panicles mid-compact, cylindroid to fusi-
form, rather narrow; rachis branches
short to mid-long; glumes usually with
straw-colored margins; coleoptiles green.
Kernels undeveloped in many sessile DENTóN SORGO 65
spikelets; embryos not prominent.
Kernels developed normally in sessile REX SORGO 63
spikelets; embryos prominent.
Panicles mid-compact, cylindroid to ellip-
soid; rachis branches short to mid-long;
glumes usually without straw-colored
edges; coleoptiles green.
Glumes intense red COLMAN SORGO 52
Panicles effuse, ellipsoid, mid-size to large;
rachis branches long; coleoptiles red.
Glumes deep red RED AMBER SORGO__ 49
3b. Awns present.
4a. Kernels colored (buff or reddish brown).
5a. Glumes black.
Endosperms starchy.
Kernels usually equal to or sometimes
shorter than glumes; glumes intense
black and shiny; coleoptiles red; stems
juicy.
Panicles mid-compact, obovoid, GOOSENECK SORGO. 57
erect to inclined or recurved;
plants very late, very tall.
Panicles effuse, conoid to ellipsoid, MINNESOTA AMBER 46
erect; plants early, tall. SORGO.
WACONIA AMBER 47
SORGO.
Kernels longer than glumes; glumes red-
dish black to brown; coleoptiles green;
stems mid-juicy; midribs sometimes
yellow.
Panicles mid-compact, ellipsoid, DARSO 41
erect; plants midseason, dwarf to
mid-tall.
 COMMON SORGHUM VARIETIES 43
Description
No.
Endosperms waxy.
Kernels usually equal to or sonaetimes
shorter than glumes; glumes intense
black and shiny; coleoptiles red;
stems juicy.
Panicles mid-compact, obovoid, GOOSENECK SORGO_ 57
erect to inclined or recurved;
plants very late, very tall.
Panicles effuse, conoid to various CHINESE AMBER 45
shapes, erect; plants early, tall. SORGO.
5b. Glumes red.
Endosperms starchy.
Panicles mid-compact, ellipsoid to MANCHUBROWN 24
ovoid; glumes reddish brown to yel- KAOLIANG.
low or straw; stems dry; plants very
early, mid-tall. .
Panicles effuse, ellipsoid, mid-size to RED AMBER SORGO_ 49
large; glumes deep red; stems juicy;
plants early, mid-tall to tall.
Panicles very effuse, conoid, large; HONEY SORGO 53
glumes brownish red; stems juicy;
plants late, tall.
Endosperms waxy.
Panicles mid-compact tending toward LEOTI SORGO 58
effuse, cyUndroid to obconoid; glumes
dull yellowish-red; stems juicy; plants
early to midseason, mid-tall to tall.
lb. Panicle branches more than 8 inches long; rachis
very short with branches much extended and
usually lying close together, forming a brush; stems
dry.
2a. Nu cellar layer present.
3a. Long awns present. „ i_ x
4a. Kernels reddish brown, usually shorter
than glumes. , , ,
5a. Glumes chocolate or dark brown to
Panicles usually completely ex-
erted from sheath.
Peduncles usually 8 inches or
longer, firmly attached at
base.
Plants early» (82 days), BLACK SPANISH 68
[^ tall (90 inches) ; rachis BROOMCORN.
branches 16-22
inches long.
Panicles usually enclosed by upper
sheath one-half to two-thirds of
length.
Peduncles usually less than 8
inches long, weakly attached

Plants early, mid-tall; BLACK SPANISH 72

rachis branches 16-22 DWARF BROOM-
inches long. CORN.
5b. Glumes tan or straw colored.
Panicles usually completely exerted
from sheath.
Peduncles usually 8 inches or
longer, firmly attached at base.

Ä sorghums. The number of days is from planting until heading.

44 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 5 0 6, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE

Description
No.
Plants early (84 days), tall (88 CALIFORNIA GOLDEN 69
inches); rachis branches BROOMCORN.
16-22 inches long.
Plants midseason (89 days), tall EVERGREEN BROOM- 67
(95 inches); rachis branches CORN.
16-24 inches long.
Plants late (99 days), very tall LATE EVERGREEN 67
(101 inches) ; rachis branches BROOMCORN.
18-32 inches long.
Panicles usually enclosed by upper sheath
from one-half to two-thirds of
length.
Peduncles usually less than 8 inches
long, weakly attached at base.
Plants midseason (91 days), mid- S c A R B o R o u G H 71
tall (58 inches); rachis branches BROOMCORN.
16-24 inches long; seed borne
mostly near tips of branches.
5c. Glumes red or tinged with red.
Panicles usually enclosed by upper sheath
from one-half to two-thirds of
length.
Peduncles usually less than 8 inches
long, weakly attached at base.
Plants midseason (90 days), mid- EVERGREEN DWARF 70
tall (55 inches); rachis branches BROOMCORN.
16-22 inches long; seed borne
mostly on upper third of branches.
Panicles usually enclosed by upper
sheath from two-thirds to three-
fourths of length.
Peduncles short and weakly attached
at base.
Plants early (89 days), dwarf (41 JAPANESE DWARF 72
inches); rachis branches 12-18 BROOMCORN.
inches long.

DESCRIPTIONS, HISTORY, DISTRIBUTION, AND SYNONYMY OF

COMMON SORGHUM VARIETIES
1. WHITE DURRA

Description.—Plants early, mid-tall ; stems mid-slender, dry, not sweet ; tillers

sparsely; branches freely; leaves few (8 to 12) ; midribs white; leaf sheaths
overlapping slightly ; panicles inclined to recurved, compact, obovoid to broadly
ellipsoid ; rachis usually 70 to 80 percent of head length ; rachis branches short
to mid-long ; glumes very pubescent, straw-colored, somewhat chartaceous, obovate
to elliptic, apices usually obtuse ; lemmas bearing lon^- geniculate awns ; stigmas
white ; kernels moderately to well exposed, mid-size to large, white, ellipsoid to
globose, much flattened, endosperm starchy, corneous layer thin, nucellar layer
absent; pedicellate spikelets large, straw-colored, often deciduous at maturity;
coleoptiles green. Seeds shatter easily. A panicle, spikelets, and kernels are
shown in plate 1.
Historp.—Grown in Arabia, Turkistan, India, and northern Africa. In Egypt
the word " durra " means sorghum. In the united States the name durra was
first applied to the Guinea kafir (Guinea corn, Rural Branching sorghum, or
"White Milo maize"). True durras doubtless were introduced into the United
States during the colonial period but were never widely grown. According to
Sorsby (142), "It is called in the United States 'Dourah corn' and 'Tennessee
rice.' * * * j ßj,g^ gaw this plant growing in Georgia in 1838. The year
following I introduced its culture into this county [Greene County, Ala.], where
it has been somewhat extensively cultivated since. There are two distinct
varieties of this corn cultivated with us, namely, the ' white ' and the ' reddish-
brown.' "
Technical Bulletin 506, U. S. Department of Agriculture PLATE 1

'*^*»r'-'*.
v«^ «ÄS'.

WHITE DURRA.
Panicle, scale indicates size in inches; spikelets and kernels in three positions, X 3.
Technical Bulletin 506, U. S. Department of Agriculture PLATE 2

DWARF WHITE DURRA.

Panicle, scale indicates size in inches; spikelets and Icernels in three positions, X 3.
Technical Bulletin 506, U. S. Department of Agriculture PLATE 3

BROWN DURRA.
Panicle, scale indicates size in inches; spikelets and kernels in three positions, X 3.
Technical Bulletin 506, U. S. Department of Agriculture PLATE 4

STANDARD FETERITA.
Panicle, scale Indicates size in inches; spikelets and kernels in three positions, X 3.
 COMMON SOKGHUM VAKIETIES 45

In 1860 small packets of seed of a sorghum from Egypt were being offered to
the public in Illinois at $1 each under the name " Egyptian corn." " The corn
was produced from some procured directly from Mr. Jones, our consular agent,
directly on his return from Egypt. * * * It grows in the form of a tree, and
22 ears have grown upon one stalk, and will average from 5 to 15."
This crop may have been a loose-panicled durra or some other sorghum, and
not the White durra now being grown in the United States, Apparently it was
not a new crop in this country. According to an editorial in the American
Agriculturist (5), "Two or more parties are distributing plausible handbills
advertising to send, for a dollar, a little parcel of seed they call Egyptian corn.
* * * It is the Dourah corn, or what was a few years since called ' Egyptian
Wheat.' "
The first definite reference to the White durra now being grown appeared in
1874 (11) : " Mr. R. J. Trumbull brings to the offices of the Rural Press samples
of the Egyptian or Mediterranean corn, grown by him at his nursery at San
Rafael, Calif.—not in Egypt. * * * The top of the stalk has a unique and
rather picturesque look, forming a goose-neck curve. * * * '>
The apparent introducer of this durra, Sanders (129), states: "I called it
Egyptian corn for the reason that it certainly was a ' corn ', and I obtained the
seed of two varieties of it from the land of the Pharaohs."
In the Pacific Rural Press (12) in 1877 it was stated that "Dr. J. S. Silver
* * * was so strongly impressed with the good qualities of the grain that he
introduced it to Mr. Trumbull's attention, and the result was the importation of
the seed."
Although the evidence of the importation of White durra from Egypt into
California, where it was grown in 1874 and later distributed, seems rather
authentic, there is considerable doubt about this being the first importation.
A communication by Beckwith (35) in 1880 states:
As much as 15 or 20 years ago I received a package of seed (from the United
States Agricultural Department, I think) under the name of Dhoura corn. It
was white and identical, no doubt, with what you describe as Egyptian corn.
A few days since I sent to a seedsman in Philadelphia for seed of white Doura
corn, and have received exactly the same thing.
Probably durra was grown in California previous to 1874. According to the
Pacific Rural Press (13) in 1878:
It appears that this grain has been in cultivation in this State longer than
many have thought, and it is a valuable fact that the longer growing brings the
stronger testimonials of the value of the plant. Our southern exchange. The
San Diego News, states that a party in that county has been growing it in a
small way since 1863.
Soon after White durra was distributed in California it was tried all over
the United States. It soon reached the Great Plains and became popular in
Kansas during the late eighties. It was grown at the Kansas Agricultural
Experiment Station in 1889 (67) under the name Egyptian rice corn, and at
other experiment stations shortly thereafter. Durra has never been grown on
a large acreage in this country and now is confined almost exclusively to
California. Hundreds of durra introductions have been grown on experiment
stations in this country since 1900, but they have never comrared favorably
with kafir, milo, and feterita except in the Sacramento Valley of California.
Distril)ution.—Grown in California, Kansas, and New Mexico.
Synonyms.—Egyptian corn, Gyp corn.
2. DWARF WHITE DURRA

Description.—Th\^ variety is similar to White durra except in being much

shorter (usually 30 to 38 inches in height), in having panicles with a less blunt
apex, and in having slightly smaller kernels. The leaves have a peculiar habit
of rolling or curling upward at each side. A panicle, spikelets, and kernels are
shown in plate 2.
Hisior^/.—Selected from White durra by J. W. Hoefling, of Chico, Calif., in
1925 ill):
" At the same time that Hoefling Brothers began their experiments in harvest-
ing ' Gyp ' corn they recognized the need for a type or strain better adapted to
machine work, and so they started to make selections, and now have a strain
that meets the requirements.
"The ideal was a uniform erect-headed dwarf White Egyptian corn that
would stand up when dry and ripe and turn off good yields. This goal has now
46 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 5 0 6, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE

been attained in all respects except erectness of head. * * * Last year [1927]
15 acres were planted to this selection. This year 60 acres were planted as a
final check against other strains."
Probably this dwarf strain originated as a height mutation from the White
durra. It was first distributed for seed in 1929 under the name of Hoefling's
Curly Leaf or Superior strain of White Gyp.
Distrihution.—Grown in California and experimentally in other States.
Sprnmym.—Hoefling's Curly Leaf White Gyp.
3. BROWN DURRA

Description.—Brown durra is nearly identical with White durra except in

having brown kernels with a nucellar layer present and in having awnless
lemmas. A panicle, spikelets, and kernels are shown in plate 3.
History.—The history of Brown durra js largely given in the history of White
durra, and apparently it was introduced at the same time. Brown durra
never became as popular as the white-seeded variety, owing to the bitterness
of the seed.
Distribution.—Grown to a limited extent in California.
Synonym.—Brown Egyptian corn.
4. STANDARD FETERITA
Description.—Plants early (100 days, avemge of 39 crop years), mid-tall
(59 inches, average of 89 crop years) ; stems mid-slender to midi-stout, dry or
only slightly juicy, slightly sweet; tillers freely; branches freely; leaves few
(7 to 12); midribs white; leaf sheaths overlapping slightly to moderately;
panicles erect, compact, ovoid to ellipsoid; rachis usually continuous; rachis
branches short to mid-long, appressed ; glumes pubescent but pubescence partly
deciduous at maturity, usually black but at times straw-colored or reddish
brown, indurate, elliptic, apices acute to obtuse; lemmas usually appear awn-
less but have very short tip awns which usually do not extend beyond the
glumes ; stigmas creamy white ; kernels much exposed ^n angles and extending
well beyond apices of glumes, very large, chalky white, and usually with red
and black spots, nearly globose but flattened on side opposite the embryo, endo-
sperm starchy, corneous layer thin, nucellar layer present, seed coat checked;
coleoptiles green. A panicle, spikelets, and kernels are shown in plate 4.
History.—The introduction of feterita into this country is given by Vinall and
Ball {150, p. 25) as follows:
" The name ' feterita ' is used for a variety of sorghum first obtained in 1901
by the Ofiice of Foreign Seed and Plant Introduction as 'Feterite' from
B. Nathan & Co., Alexandria, Egypt. Only a small quantity of seed was
secured, and this was distributed under Seed and Plant Introduction No. 6691
to three persons in Arizona and Kansas, but no records of the results obtained
are available. It is certain, however, that the variety did not become estab-
lished at that time. The second importation, assigned S. P. I. No. 19517, was
received November 1906 from Mr. V. F. Naggiar, of Alexandria, Egypt, who
obtained the seed from Sudan. In 1908 an additional supply, S. P. I. No. 22328,
was secured through Mr. R. Howison from Khartum, Sudan, in which region
it is commonly grown under the name ' feterita.' "
Most of the feterita grown in this country at the present time is from the
introductions of 1906 and 1908.
Feterita has been known in Sudan for many years. " Fatareetah, a pure
white thin-skinned grain " was observed in the market at Khartum in 1868 (131).
Distribution.—Important in Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas, and grown in
Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Colorado, Arizona, and
California (fig. 4).
Synonym.—Schribar corn.
5. SPUR FETERITA
Description.—Similar to Standard feterita, but slightly later and more leafy
with somewhat stouter stems, panicles more often truncate, and rachis more
often discontinuous; plants early to midseason (103 days, average of 16 crop
years) ; mid-tall, slightly shorter than Standard. A panicle is shown in plate 5.
History.—Conner and Dickson {51, p. 9) give this history of the development
of the strain :
'* Spur feterita was originated by the Texas Experiment Station at Substation
NO'. 7, Spur, Tex., as a result of selection and head-row planting of more than
one hundred feterita plants. These selections were made by the junior author
 COMMON SORGHUM VARIETIES U

in 1914 from a feterita grown by the Texas Station under Texas Station No.
40, original seed of which, was secured from the Office of Forage Crops, United
States Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C, which carried it under
Seed and Plant Introduc-
tion No. 19517. * * *
At the close of the season
of 1916, selection No. 40^3-
6-15 was considered suffi-
ciently outstanding to war-
rant its increase, and so it
was assigned Texas Station
No. 3232 and increased as
rapidly as possible for
distribution to farmers.
Twelve thousand pounds
of seed were grown under
contract during the season
of 1918 and purchased
by the Office of Dry
Land Seed Distribution,
United States Department
of Agriculture, Washing-
ton, p. C, for distribution.
4.—Distribution of feterita (Standard, Spur, and
This seed was sent to FIGURE Dwarf) in the United States in 1924. Each dot rep-
farmers in Texas, in Okla- resents 500 acres. Estimated area, 325,100 acres.
homa, in Kansas, and in
other States."
Distribution.—Most widely grown variety of feterita in Texas and also grown
in Oklahoma, Kansas, and New Mexico.
6. DWARF FETERITA
Description.—Like Spur feterita but dwarf (42 inches, average of 22 crop
years). In number of leaves and date of maturity it is about the same as Spur,
being slightly later than Standard.
History.—Several strains have been selected and distributed by the Texas
Agricultural Experiment Station and the United States Department of Agri-
culture. One of these was derived from the same original group of heads from
which Spur feterita was selected at Spur, Tex. Two others were selected at
the San Antonio Field Station, one in 1909 and one in 1917, and both grown and
distributed to some extent from Chillicothe, Tex.
Distribution.—Reported only from Texas, but some grown in Oklahoma and
Kansas as well.
Synonym.—Dwarf Spur.
7. HEGARI
Description.—Plants midsea-
son (113 days, average of 32
crop years) ; character of sea-
son affects date of maturity
markedly; dwarf to mid-tall (48
inches, average of 33 crop
years) ; stems mid-slender to
stout, mid-juicy, slightly sweet!
tillers freely ; branches sparsely :
mid-leafy to leafy (8 to 16) ;
midribs doudy ; leaf sheaths usu-
ally overlapping much; panicles
erect, mid-compact, ellipsoid or
approaching ellipsoid ; r a c h i s
average 85 to 100 percent of head
FiGUEE 5.—Distribution of hegari in the United length; rachis branches short,
States in 1924. Estimated area, 210,800 acres. appressed ; glumes pubescent but
pubescence largely deciduous at
maturity, black or reddish black, indurate, ovate to elliptic, apices generally
acute; lemmas tip-awned and awns often deciduous at maturity; stigmas
creamy white; kernels much exposed (more than Blackhull kafir), seed in
grapelike clusters, small to- mid-size, white with reddish brown to black spots,
obovoid to globose, endosperm starchy, corneous layer thin to mid-thick, nucellar
48 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 5 0 6, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE

layer present; coleoptiles green. A panicle, spikelets, and kernels are shown
in plate 6.
This variety shatters easily ; it is especially sensitive to seasonal conditions
and varies widely as to time of heading, maturity, height, and yield.
History.—The first seed of this variety was received by C. V. Piper from
Khartum, Sudan, Africa, in March 1908, and given the number S. P. I. 22326.
It was planted that season at Chillicothe, Tex. Practically all of the hegari
grown in the United States is from the increase of a selection made at Chilli-
cothe by A. B. Conner in 1910. Limited distributions to experiment stations
and to farmers were made during the next few years, and by 1915 a consider-
able acreage was being grown in the vicinity of Chillicothe. In the spring of
1916 the Bureau of Plant Industry, United States Department of Agriculture,
distributed some 17,000 pounds of seed.
Distribution.—The most widely grown sorghum in Arizona and important
in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and New Mexico. A small acreage is grown in
California, Colorado, and Arkansas (fig. 5).
Spnonyms.—Higear, Higeary, Higrain wheat.
8. CHILTEX
Description.—Plants early to midseason (105 days, average of 10 crop years),
dwarf (47 inches, average of 10 crop years) ; stems mid-slender, to mid-stout,
dry, not sweet; tillers sparsely; branches sparsely; mid-leafy (8 to 13) ;.mid-
ribs white ; leaf sheaths overlapping moderately ; panicles erect, mid-compact,
cylindroid ; rachis about 70 percent of head length but sometimes continuous ;
rachis branches short, appressed; glumes pubescent, brownish black, indurate,
elliptic, apices acute ; lemmas not awned ; stigmas white ; kernels well exposed
but less than Blackhull kafir, mid-size, white with brown to black spots, obovoid
to globose, endosperm starchy, corneous layer thin to mid-thick, nucellar layer
present, seed coat usually checked; pedicellate spikelets straw-colored to dark
brown and persistent at maturity; coleoptiles green; glumes often persistent in
threshed seed. A panicle, spikelets, and kernels are shown in plate 7.
History.—Selected by H. N. Vinall from a cross of feterita (S. P. I. 22329)
and Blackhull kafir (S. P. I. 17569) made at Amarillo, Tex., by A. B. Cron
in 1914. The name Chiltex was assigned and seed fifst distributed to a few
other stations from Chillicothe, Tex., in 1923. Local distributions to farmers
and experiment stations have been made each year since, and in 1925 over
4,000 pounds were sent out through the Bureau of Plant Industry. Chiltex
is the first sorghum variety produced from a definite breeding program of
selection from the progeny of hybrid plants secured by artificial hybridization.
Distribution.—Grown locally in Texas and southwestern Oklahoma.
Synonym.—Chiltex kafir.
9. PREMO
Description.—Plants midseason (109 days, average of 10 crop years), dwarf to
mid-tall (50 inches, average of 10 crop years) ; stems mid-stout, mid-juicy, not
sweet; tillers sparsely; branches sparsely; leafy (12 to 16) ; midribs cloudy;
leaf sheaths overlapping much ; panicles erect, compact to mid-compact, ellip-
soid, usually poorly exerted; rachis 60 to 100 percent of head length; rachis
branches mid-long, appressed ; glumes pubescent but pubescence partly deciduous
at maturity, black or brownish black, indurate, elliptic, apices acute; lemmas
not awned : stigmas white ; kernels much exposed but less than Blackhull kafir,
mid-size, white with brown to black spots, ellipsoid to obovoid, endosperm
starchy, corneous layer mid-thick, nucellar layer present, seed coat usually
checked; pedicellate spikelets straw-colored to dark brown, persistent at ma-
turity ; coleoptiles green. A panicle, spikelets, and kernels are shown in plate 8.
Premo differs from Chiltex in being later, in being mid-juicy, and in having
thicker panicles. The pericarp of the kernel also shows less distinct checking.
History.—Premo is a selection from a cross of feterita (S. P. I. 22329) X
Blackhull kafir (S. P. I. 17569) made by A. B. Cron. It has been distributed
locally from Chillicothe, Tex., since 1923, and about 3,500 pounds were dis-
tributed by the Bureau of Plant Industry in 1925.
Distrilution.—Grown locally in Texas and southwestern Oklahoma.
Technical Bulletin 506, U. S. Department of Agriculture PLATE 5

SPUR FETERITA.
Panicle, scale indicates size in inclies.
Technical Bulletin 506, U. S. Department of Agriculture PLATE 6

HesARi.
Fanlde, scale indicates size in incbes; spikelets and kernels in three positions, X í
Technical Bulletin 506. U. S. Department of Agriculture PLATE 7

CHIUTEX.
Panicle, scale indicates size in inches; spikelets and kernels in three positions, X 3.
Technical Bulletin 506. U. S. Department of Agriculture PLATE 8

PREMO.
Panicle, scale indicates size in inches; spikelets and kernels in three positions, X 3.
Technical Bulletin 506. U. S. Department of Agriculture

AJAX.
Panicle scale indicates size in inches; spikelets and kernels in three positions, X 3.
Technical Bulletin 506, U. S. Department of Agriculture PLATE 10

WONDER.
Panicle, scale indicates size in inches; spikelets and kernels in three positions, X 3,
Technical Bulletin 506, U. S, Department cf Agriculture PLATE 1 1

BLACKHULL KAFIR.
Panicle, scale indicates size in inches; spikelets and kernels in three positions, X í
Technical Bulletin 506, U. S. Department of Agriculture PLATE 12

SUNRISE KAFIR.

^Panicle, scale Indicates size in inclies, spikelets and kernels in three positions, X 3.
 COMMON SOKGHUM VARIETIES 49

10. AJAX
Desoription,—Plants midseason, dwarf (mode 46 inches) ; stems mid-stout
to stout, dry, slightly sweet; tillers mid-freely; branches sparsely; leafy (121 to
18) ; midribs white ; leaf sheaths overlapping much ; panicles erect, compact to
mid-compact, shape variable, ranging from ovoid to obovoid ; rachis 50 to 100
percent of head length but usually discontinuous in main heads ; rachis branches
mid-long, appressed to sometimes partly spreading; glumes pubescent, black to
reddish brown, indurate, ovate, apices acute to sometimes acuminate; lemmas
not awned ; stigmas creamy white ; kernels well exposed in angles and extend-
ing well beyond apices of glumes, mid-size, white with reddish brovni to black
spots, globose, endosperm starchy, corneous layer thin to mid-thick, nucellar
layer present ; pedicellate spikelets straw-colored to brown, mid-size, persistent
and rather conspicuous at maturity; coleoptiles green. A panicle, spikelets,
and kernels are shown in plate 9.
History.—Selected from the progeny of a cross of Premo (F. C. 8929) X Spur
feterita (F. C. 6601) made by H. N. Vinall in 1923. A limited distribution of
seed in 1929 and general distributions in subsequent years were made from
Chillicothe, Tex.
Distribution.—Grown locally in Texas and southwestern Oklahoma.
11. WONDER
Description.—^Plants early to midseason (about 105 days), dwarf (about 47
inches) ; stems mid-stout to stout, dry, not sweet ; tillers mid-freely ; branches
sparsely; mid-leafy (9 to 15) ; midribs white; leaf sheaths overlapping much;
panicles erect, mid-compact, cylindroid to ellipsoid ; rachis 50 to 80 percent of
head length ; rachis branches mid-long, appressed ; glumes pubescent but pubes-
cence partly deciduous at maturity, black, indurate, elliptic, apices acute;
lemmas not awned ; stigmas white ; kernels much exposed and extending beyond
apices of glumes, mid-size, white with brown or reddish-black spots, globose to
broadly obovoid, endosperm starchy, corneous layer mid-thick to thin, nucellar
layer present, seed coat checked as in feterita ; pedicellate spikelets straw
colored to reddish black, usually persistent at maturity; coleoptiles green. A
panicle, spikelets, and kernels are shown in plate 10'.
Distinguished from Blackhull kafir by the dry stalk and presence of the brown
nucellar layer, and from Chiltex and Premo by shorter glumes with greater
exposure of kernel and by a larger germ area on the kernel.
History.—Originated by C. A. Bower, Wallace, Kans., from a single head
selected from a field of kafir in 1914. It apparently is the progeny of a natural
hybrid between kafir and feterita. Several distinct selections of this cross were
grown at the Fort Hays Branch Station, Hays, Kans., in 1922,, and one having the
characters as described above has been continued in experiments. A quantity of
seed of Wonder grown by the Garden City Branch Station, Garden City, Kans.,
was sold to the Wheat Farming Co., with headquarters at Hays, Kans., for
growing on its lands in northwestern Kansas in 1931.
Distribution.—Variety has a limited distribution in the western half of
Kansas {W, P. 20).
12. STANDARD BLACKHULL KAFIR

Description.—Plants midseason (114 days, average of 21 crop years), mid-tall

(56 inches, average of 25 'crop years) ; stems mid-stout to stout (% to 1 inch),
mid-juicy, not sweet; tillers sparsely; branches sparsely; leafy (12 to 16) ; mid-
ribs cloudy ; leaf sheaths overlapping much ; panicles erect, often not well
exserted from the sheath under dry conditions, mid-compact, cylindroid to
clávate ; rachis usually 60 to 80 percent of head length but sometimes con-
tinuous; rachis branches mid-long, appressed; glumes pubescent but pubes-
cence partly deciduous at maturity, black or brownish black, indurate, elliptic or
approaching elliptic, apices acute or sometimes obtuse; lemmas not awned;
stigmas white; kernels much exposed in wide angle of glumes (60 to90degrees)
and extending well beyond apices of glumes, mid-size, white with reddish-brown
to black spots, obovoid to ellipsoid, endosperm starchy, corneous layer mid-thick
to thick, nucellar layer absent; pedicellate spikelets usually straw colored or
with reddish-brown spots and persistent but inconspicuous at maturity;
coleoptiles green. A panicle, spikelets, and kernels are shown in plate 11.
22613—36 4
50 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 5 0 6, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE

History.—Origin undetermined. Rice {122), of Winview, Okla., stated: " This

year I sent to F. Barteldes & Co., Lawrence, Kans., for African millet seed.
They sent me two lots, one marked 'home grown', the other 'western grown.'
The ' home grown ' proved to be nearly the same as what we have for 6 years
grown as Black Chaff kafir corn."
Another writer (Í28) stated: "From Mr. Johnson [Mark W. Johnson, At-
lanta, Ga.] we obtained 5 pounds of seeds of these 2 plants and 3 other non-
saccharine sorghums, among which was one called 'African millet.' The seeds
were nearly the same as kafir, and we planted the millet along by the side of
the kafir. It grew much taller than the kafir, it had a firmer head, and yielded
more seed per head. The kafir had nearly a white cap. The millet had a
black cap. The next year, 1888, we grew a crop of millet, kafir, and milo
at Waxahachie [Tex.], and noted that the kafir had nearly half black capped
heads. These took much the form of the millet, came better out of boot, and
were about a head taller than the strictly white kafir. A part of this crop
was sold to Mr. Barteldes, of Lawrence, Kans. The remainder was dissemi-
nated all over the West, then this was and is how the black cap got on the
kafir."

l^ 77^"^—-^ r\.
L^^^

J .^^Smè^'
^^^Î
1 !^rT\~/
\f^--i- * "
H Ï
A^^^^
%
FIGURE 6.—Distribution of Blackhull kafir (Standard and Dwarf) in the United States
in 1924. Each dot represents 500 acres. Estimated area, 1,801,400 acres.

Blackhull kafir was first grown at the Kansas Experiment Station in 1895
(65). This variety was then also referred to as African millet. There is no
positive evidence that Blackhull kafir was obtained as a mixture in the original
importations of either White kafir or Red kafir, although this appears to be
the most reasonable explanation of its origin. Black-hulled kafirs have been
obtained from South Africa by the Department of Agriculture during the past
30 years, but no record is available of the importation of Blackhull kafir prior
to 1895, when it was first grown at the Kansas Agricultural Experiment
Station.
Since the original Blackhull kafir was distributed other strains have been
selected from it. Most of these are similar but differ slightly in height or
maturity or in the type of exsertion of the panicle. Strains that are materially
different from the typical Standard Blackhull are described elsewhere.
Distribution.—The most widely grown grain sorghum in Kansas and Okla-
homa, and second to Yellow milo in Texas, New Mexico, Missouri, and Colo-
rado ; also grown in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Georgia, Nebraska,
Tennessee, and to SL small extent in Kentucky, Mississippi, and other States.
About 91.5 percent of the approximately 1,800,000 acres is grown in Kansas,
Oklahoma, and Texas. The total acreage of Blackhull kafir in the United
States exceeds that of any other variety of sorghums (fig. 6).
Synonyms.—^Black-chaff kafir corn, Blackhull white kafir.
 COMMON SOKGHUM VARIETIES 51

13. DWARF BLACKHULL KAFIR

Description.—The strains of Dwarf Blackhull kafir in normal seasons average

about 4 inches shorter than Blackhull and 4 to 5 days earlier in maturity
(111 days, average of 25 crop years). In other respects they are very similar
to the Blackhull described previously. This similarity is particularly marked
in the size and shape of the panicle.
History.—Several strains have been distributed by experiment stations and
others. Among the most important of these selected strains are the Texas
Blackhull, Western Blackhull, and Santa Fe kafir. At the present time the
most of the Blackhull kafir is dwarf in comparison with the earlier types
grown in the nineties, but except for a few strains to which specific names havp
adhered, it is generally known as " Blackhull kafir." However, Blackhull in one
community may be called " Dwarf Blackhull " in another.
Distribution.—Grown in Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Missouri.
Spnonj/ms.—Texas Blackhull, Western Blackhull, Santa Fe (in part).
14. WESTERN BLACKHULL KAFIR

Description.—A strain of Dwarf Blackhull kafir.

History.—This, strain was obtained from P. E. Orabtree, Scott City, Kans.,
by R. E. Getty, and found to be of sufiicient value at Hays, Kans., in 1921 to
warrant further test. It was distributed by Mr. Crabtree through the Barteldes
Seed Co. in the spring of 1921 under the name of Western Blackhull kafir.
Distribution.—Grown in Kansas.
15. TEXAS BLACKHULL KAFIR

Description.—A selection from Blackhull kafir maturing in about 106 days,

which is somewhat earlier than Dawn kafir; it is also somewhat taller than
Dawn. Very similar to Western Blackhull kafir.
History.—Deyeloveä from a small lot of seed received as Dwarf Blackhull
kafir, from B. B. Perdue, Falfurrias, Tex., in April of 1916. It was selected,
inbred, and named by R, E. Karper, then superintendent of Texas substation
no. 8, Lubbock, Tex., and first distributed to farmers in 1924.
Distribution.—Texsis, Oklahoma, and New Mexico; at present the predomi-
nant knfir in Texas.
16. SUNRISE KAFIR

Description.—Plants midseason (112 days, average of 22 crop years), mid-tall

to tall (70 inches, average of 20 crop years) ; stems mid-stout (three-fourths to
seven-eighths inch) but more slender than Blackhull, mid-juicy to juicy, slightly
sweet to sweet; tillers mid-freely; branches mid-freely ; mid-leafy (10 to 14) ;
midribs cloudy ; leaf sheaths overlapping slightly ; panicles erect, mid-compact,
ellipsoid to cylindroid ; rachis 80 to lOO percent of head length ; rachis branches
mid-long to short, appressed ; glumes pubescent but pubescence partly deciduous
at maturity, black or reddish black, indurate, elliptic, apices acute or rarely
obtuse ; lemmas not awned ; stigmas white ; kernels much exposed laterally in
angle of glumes and beyond apices of glumes, mid-size, wählte with reddish-brown
to black spots, ellipsoid, endosperm starchy, corneous layer mid-thick to thick,
nucellar layer absent ; pedicellate spikelets straw-colored to dark reddish brown,
usually persistent at maturity; coleoptiles green. A panicle, spikelets, and
kernels are shown in plate 12.
This strain tillers and branches more freely than ordinary Blackhull kafir ;
the stems are not so stout and are somewhat sweeter; the heads are usually
shorter and tend more to the ellipsoid ; the glumes are more often straw-colored
or with straw edges, and the pedicellate spikelets are a little more persistent ;
the kernels are not quite so broad in relation to length and are usually a little
smaller.
History.—Han and Rothgeb (33, p. 58) describe the origin as follows:
"The Suinrise, or Early, kafir (C. I. No. 472) was developed from a single
head, which bore the selection number 30. It was selected in the autumn of
1906 by Mr. A. H. Leidigh, then superintendent of the Amarillo [Texas] Cereal
Field Station. The Dawn (dwarf) kafir (C. I. No. 340) has been developed
from the same head, the exact origin of which is not known. Probably it was
selected in one of the Blackhull kafir plats on the station at Amarillo, or at
Channing, Tex., where the station was located previous to 1906, but it may have
been found on some nearby farm.
 52 TECHNICAL. BULLETIN 5 0 6, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE

" Head No. 30 was used to sow a head row in 1907. The resulting plants were
like ordinary BlackhuU kafir in nearly all respects except earliness and stature."
The head row segregated for height in 1907.
The earliness, variable stature, and sweet stalks indicate hybridization of
BlackhuU kafir with some early variety of sorgo.
The tall strain when purified was first called Early BlackhuU kafir but was
later named Sunrise. The dwarf strain selected was called Dwarf kafir until
later named Dawn.
Distribution.—Grown in Kansas and Oklahoma, and to a small extent in
Missouri, New Mexico, and Texas.
Synonym,—Early BlackhuU kafir.
17. DAWN KAFIR
Description.—Plants early to midseason (110 days, average of 23 crop years),
dwarf to mid-tall (48 inches, average of 26 crop years) ; stems mid-stout, mid-
Juicy, not sweet; tillers sparsely; branches sparsely; mid-leafy (10 to 14);
midribs cloudy ; leaf sheaths overlapping much ; panicle erect, mid-compact,
ellipsoid to cylindroid ; rachis 80 to 100 percent of head length ; rachis branches
short to mid-long, appressed; glumes partly pubescent but pubescence partly
deciduous at maturity, black or reddish black, indurate, elliptic, apices acute
to sometimes obtuse ; lemmas not awned ; stigmas white ; kernels much exposeil
laterally in angle of glumes and extending beyond apices of glumes, mid-size,
white with reddish-brown or black spots, ellipsoid to obovoid, endosperm
starchy, corneous layer mid-thick to thick, nucellar layer absent; pedicellate
spikelets straw-colored to purplish, usually persistent at maturity; coleoptiles
green. A panicle, spikelets, and kernels are shown in plate 13.
Dawn kafir differs from Sunrise in being shorter, having a less sweet stalk,
and in tillering somewhat less. It is shorter and earlier than BlackhuU, the
seeds are smaller, and the panicles taper more toward the apex.
History.—^A dwarf type selected from the progeny of the same original head
from which Sunrise kafir was obtained. (See Sunrise kafir, p. 51.) Seed of
Dawn kafir was first distributed by the Amarillo (Tex.) Cereal Field Station
under the name Dwarf Kafir. The distribution of this variety, which was a new
and superior type at the time, had an important infiuence upon the develop-
ment of a new agricultural region in northwestern Texas. Considerable quan-
tities of seed were later distributed in western Texas by the Santa Fe Railway,
resulting in its being called' Santa Fe kafir in that section. For many years
Dawn kafir was the predominating grain sorghum and almost the only kafir
grown in this new section. Since about 1927 it has been largely displaced by
other types, a considerable portion of the kafir acreage now being devoted to
Texas BlackhuU.
Distril)ution.—Grown in Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Missouri.
Synonyms.—Dwarf kafir. Dwarf BlackhuU, Santa Fe.
18. REED KAFIR

Description.—Plants midseason (113 days, average of 10 crop years), mid-

tall (63 inches, average of 10 crop years) ; stems mid-stout (thirteen-sixteenths
to fifteen-sixteenths inch), mid-juicy, not sweet; tillers sparsely; branchais
sparsely; mid-leafy (10 to 13), leaves fragile and easily broken from stalk;
midribs cloudy; leaf sheaths overlapping much; panicles erect, mid-compact,
cylindroid ; rachis average 85 percent of head length but sometimes continuous ;
rachis branches mid-long, appressed; glumes pubescent on upper half, black,
indurate, obovate to elliptic, apices acute to sometimes obtuse; lemmas not
awned; stigmas white; kernels somewhat exposed but less than BlackhuU,
mid-size, white with reddish-brown or black spots, ellipsoid to obovoid, endo-
sperm starchy, corneous layer mid-thick to thick, nucellar layer absent; coleop-
tiles green. A panicle, spikelets, and kernels are shown in plate 14.
Distinguished from ordinary BlackhuU kafir by the long, dull-black glumes,
extending to or nearly to apex of seed, and greater persistence of pubescence
on the glumes. The glumes have a distinctly yellow appearance during the
blooming period and are somewhat persistent in the threshed seed. The stalks
tend to lose their leaves at maturity.
History.—Reed kafir as grown is of two types. The one described (C. I. 628)
was distributed by the United States Department of Agriculture from Wood-
ward, Okla. Hydro kafir (also called Reed) is about a week later and slightly
Technical Bulletin 506, U. S. Department of Agriculture PLATE 13

DAWN KAFIR.

Panicle, scale indicates size in inches; spikelets and kernels in three positions, X 3.
Technical Bulletin 506, U. S. Department oi Agriculture PLATE 14

REED KAFIR.

Panicle, scale indicates size in inches; spibelets and kernels in three positions, X í
Technical Bulletin 506, U. S. Department of Agriculture PLATE 15

PEARL, KAFIR.

Panicle, scale indicates size in inches; spikelets and kernels in three positions, X !
Technical Bulletin 506, U. S. Department of Agriculture PLATE 16

RICE KAFIR.

Panicle, scale Indicates size in inches; spikelets and kernels in three positioiis, X 3.
Technical Bulletin 506, U. S. Department of Agriculture PLATE 17

WHITE KAFIR.
Panicle, scale indicates size in inches; spikelets and kernels in three positions, X >
Technical Bulletin 506, U. S. Department of Agriculture PLATE li

PINK KAFIR.
Panicle, scale indicates size in inches; spikelets and liernels in three positions, X Í
 COMMON SORGHUM VARIETIES 53

¡shorter. The panicle is larger and of a more clávate shape. The kernels of
Hydro bear stiff, sharp style remnants, which cause the panicle to feel prickly.
The following history of Reed kafir is reported by the Oklahoma Crop Im-
provement Association : ^^
" Reed's BlackhuU White kafir is somewhat indefinite, but its history appar-
ently traces to a very BlackhuU strain distributed by John Crammer of Okeene,
Elaine County, Okla. As a cooperator of the Oklahoma A. & M. College, Mr.
Crammer received several lots of kafir seed for trial sometime during 1912 to
1914. During this period and later he sold pure seed, which included the
BlackhuU strain. It is likely that some of his sales to the Hydro district account
for the Hydro strain. In 1916 two bushels were brought into the Elk City
district. This kafir proved high yielding, and eventually was increased and
sold from Elk City in large quantities by E. M. Reed. A selected strain of the
variety has been developed and distributed by the Woodward Field Station,
Woodward, Okla. Reed's BlackhuU has proved a consistently high yielder in
variety tests in central and western Oklahoma. Because of its large, compact
head and excellent type, the Hydro strain has become the leading kafir shown
in Oklahoma fairs."
Distribution.—Grown in Oklahoma and Texas.
19. PEARL KAFIR
Description.—Fearl kafir is similar to BlackhuU except in being later and
in having smaller, nearly globose seeds with a translucent (pearly) appear-
ance due to the thick corneous layer. A panicle, spikelets, and kernels are
shown in plate 15.
History.—The history has not been determined. It may possibly have been
derived from the old Guinea kafir, which also has corneous seeds.
DistrihutioJi.—PeñYl kafir was being grown in the vicinity of McLean, Tex.,
in 1920, and later spread from there to other parts of Texas and Oklahoma.
It was handled by commercial seedsmen as early as 1924.
20. RICE KAFIR
Description.—nice kafir is similar to BlackhuU except in having long, slender
panicles similar in shape to those of Red and Pink kafirs. The seeds do not
extend so far beyond the apices of the glumes as in BlackhuU and have a
somewhat corneous or pearly appearance. A panicle, spikelets, and kernels are
shown in plate 16.
Historv.—The history is not known. Probably it is a selection from the
BlackhuU variety or from a BlackhuU hybrid.
Distribution.—Grown in western Oklahoma for at least 10 years and *'to
some extent in the deep, sandv soils in the southeastern part of the Pan-
handle " {93, p. 18) in Texas.
21. WHITE KAFIR
Description.—Fiants early to midseason, m,id-taU; stems mid-stout to stout,
mid-juicy, or in some strains rather dry, not sweet ; tiUers sparsely ; branches
sparsely; mid-leafy (10 to 14) ; midribs cloudy or in dry strains white; leaf
sheaths overlapping much ; panicles erect, mid-compact, cylindro.id, usually not
fully exserted from the sheath ; rachis usually 60 to 90 percent of head length ;
raehis branches mid-long, appressed; glumes pubescent but pubescence partly
deciduous at maturity, straw-colored, indurate to somewhat chartaceous, ovate
to obovate, apices acute to obtuse ; lemmîas not awned ; stigmas white ; kernels
much exposed (Uke BlackhuU), mid-size, white with reddjsh-brown to black
spots, ellipsoid to obovoid, endosperm starchy, corneous layer mid-thick to
thick, nueellar layer absent; pedicellate spikelets straw-colored, persistent at
maturity; coleoptiles green. A panicle, spikelets, and kernels are shown ^n
plate 17.
Distinguished from BlackhuU kafir by its straw-colored gliwnes and earlier
maturity.
jEfisiori/.—Originally exhibited by the Orange Free State, South Africa, at the
Centennial Exposition, Philadelphia, Pa., in 1876 (156). A General Graves, of
Egypt, attended the Centennial and later, while traveling in the South, left some
seed of the White kafir with Thomas P. Janes, commissioner of the Department
10 Oklahoma Certified Seeds, Seed List. Feb. 1931.
54 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 5 0 6, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE

of Agriculture of Georgia." In February 1877, R. J. Redding, then a clerk in the

Department of Agriculture of Georgia, but later director of the Georgia Experi-
ment Station, Experiment, Ga., sent about a thimbleful of the seed to J. H.
Watliins, Palmetto, Campbell Co., Ga., who grew it for several years and first
brought it to the attention of the public about 1885.'' Mr. Watkins' supply of
seed was sold to the J. H. Alexander Seed Store, Augusta, Ga., in 1886 (i.9).
Some seed was donated by Mr. Watkins to the University of California College
of Agriculture, and the crop was grown in California in 1886 (159). From 1887
to 1889 White kañr was distributed in small test lots, both by the United States
Department of Agriculture and the Georgia State Department of Agriculture.
In 1887 it also was distributed in California by the College of Agriculture
(16). It was first grown in Kansas in 1886 by the Barteldes Seed Co., Lawrence,
Kans., and distributed in Kansas by that firm (SJf). The seed had been obtained
from Georgia. White kafir was first grown at the Kansas Agricultural Experi-
ment Station in 1888 from seed "obtained from a local seedsman" (66, p. 161).
After 1887 and later White kafir was grown rather widely. By 1895, however,
it began to be replaced by Blackhull kafir and has now largely been discontinued
from cultivation. White kafir is earlier than the ordinary Standard Blackhull
kafir, but usually yields less, and is undesirable be-
cause the panicles frequently are not exserted well
from the sheath.
Distribution.—Grown in Kansas, Missouri, Ne-
braska, Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, and
occasionally in Kentucky and other States. The
variety occupies a little less than 1 percent of the
grain-sorghum acreage in the United States.
Synonifm.—White-hulled kafir corn.

22. PINK KAFIR

FiGUEE 7.—Distribution of Description.—Plants midseason (llSidays, average
Pink kafir in the United
States in 1924. Each dot of 24 crop years), mid-tall (56 inches, average of
represents 500 acres. Esti- 27 crop years) ; stems mid-stout (three-fourths to
mated area, 81,300 acres. seven-eighths inch), usually dry, but mid-juicy
strains have been developed, not sweet; tillers
sparsely; branches sparsely; leafy (10 to 15); midribs white or in mid-
juicy strains cloudy; leaf sheaths overlapping much; panicles erect, mid-
compact, long, cylindroid; rachis 85 to 100 percent of head length; rachis
branches mid-long, appressed ; glumes pubescent or partly pubescent, straw-
colored, somewhat chartaceous, elliptic to sometimes ovate, apices acute to
obtuse ; lemmas not awned ; stigmas creamy white ; kernels much exposed, small
to mid-size, pink or nearly white with pink fiecks, usually with some small dark-
red or brown spots, ellipsoid to globose, endosperm starchy, corneous layer mid-
thick, nucellar layer absent except thin remnants; pedicellate spikelets straw-
colored, mostly persistent at maturity ; coleoptiles green. A panicle, spikelets,
and kernels are shown in plate 18.
iTtsiori/.—Specimens have been introduced from South Africa by the United
States Department of Agriculture from time to time. Seed of one of these w^as
sent to William Rockefeller, of Russell County, Kans., in 1905, who sent seed to
the Fort Hays Branch Experiment Station, Hays, Kans., in 1907. A selection of
this variety made in 1908 by A. D. Colliver was continued at Hays by C. C. Cun-
ningham the following year and later distributed under the name " Pink kafir."
Considerable quantities of seed were distributed by the station during a 15-vear
period.
Probably nearly all of the Pink kafir now being grown in this country is of the
strain distributed from Hays, Kans. Other Pink kafirs were introduced by the
United States Department of Agriculture from Cedra, Natal, South Africa, in
1907, and were subsequently distributed, but it is not known that any of these
are being grown at the present time.
The direct introductions of Pink kafir from South Africa, such as S. P. I.
19742, were larger and much later in maturing, with seeds of a darker pink, than
the Pink kafir developed at Hays, Kans. None of these late strains has ever
been grown commercially.
Distribution.—Well distributed over Kansas and to some extent in eastern
Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. Over 90 percent of the
Pink kafir acreage is in Kansas (fir. 7).
11 Letter from R. J. Redding, Experiment, Ga., September 1904.
12 Letter from J. H. Watkins, Palmetto, Ga., July 24, 1906.
 COMMON SORGHUM VARIETIES 55
23. RED KAFIR
Description.—Plants midseason (113 days, average of 25 crop years), mid-tall
(55 inches, average of 37 crop years) ; stems mid-stout (three-fourths to seven-
eighths inch), mid-juicy and dry strains are being grown, slightly sweet; tillers
sparsely; branches sparsely; leafy (11 to 15) ; midribs cloudy except in dry
strains; leaf sheaths overlapping much; panicles erect, mid-compact, slender,
long, cylindroid ; rachis average about 80 percent of head length but sometimes
continuous ; rachis branches mid-long, appressed ; glumes pubescent but pubes-
cence partly deciduous at maturity, straw-colored to often reddish brown,
somewhat chartaceous, elliptic to ovate, apices acute to obtuse; lemmas not
awned ; stigmas yellow ; kernels much exposed laterally in angle of glumes and
extending well beyond apices of glumes, small to mid-size, reddish brown
to yellowish red and often with dark spots, ellipsoid to obovoid or globose,
endosperm starchy, corneous layer mid-thick to thick, nucellar layer absent;
pedicellate spikelets straw-colored to dark reddish brown, mostly deciduous
at maturity; coleoptiles green. A panicle, spikelets, and kernels are shown
in plate 19. „,,^^111
Distinguished from other kafirs by red color of head due to red seed and
straw or reddish brown glumes, and from sorgos by sparse tillering, erect habit
of growth, long, cylindroid, sem^icompact
(kafir type) heads, and absence of nucellar
layer in seed.
History.—Two varieties from South
Africa were exhibited at the Centennial
Exposition at Philadelphia in 1876 {156).
One of these was White kafir, previously
described. The other was probably, al-
though not certainly, the Red kafir described
here. Red kafir doubtless was grown, but
apparently did not become established dur-
ing this early period, and nothing certain is
known of its existence until 12 years later.
In 1888, seed of a red kafir which had
been sent to this country from South Africa
nearly 10 years before was grown in Kansas
by A. A. Dentón, of the United States De- FIGURE 8.—Distiibution of Red kafir
partment of Agriculture, and found to be in the United States in 1924. Each
the same as some received in 1887 from a dot represents 500 acres. Esti-
French physician residing in Algeria (57). mated area, 92,700 acres.
Red kafir was grown in experiments at Man-
hattan, Kans., {66) in 1889, and at Garden City, Kans., (5^) that year or shortly
thereafter. The seed had been furnished by the United States Department of
Agriculture. Seed of this variety was obtained from the agricultural college at
Manhattan in 1891 by the Barteldes Seed Co., Lawrence, Kans., and was dis-
tributed by them in 1892 {SI^).
By 1893 Red kafir had become popular throughout the region in which kafir
was grown.
Other introductions of Red kafir have been received from Africa since 1887,
but none has been known to become established. Selection of Red kafir has
resulted in securing strains somewhat earlier than the variety as originally
introduced. At least two such distinct types have been found growing in
western Kansas, one of which has dry stalks.
Distribution.—Grown principally in Kansas, Missouri, Colorado, Oklahoma,
and Texas, and to some extent in Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Arkansas, New
Mexico, and Nebraska. A little over 2 percent of the grain sorghum acreage
is devoted to Red kafir (fig. 8).
24. MANCHU BROWN KAOLIANG
Description.—Plants very early (average about 90 days), mid-tall (average
about 67 inches) ; stems mid-slender, dry, not sweet; tillers sparsely; branches
mid-freely ; leaves few (7 to 10), small; midribs white; leaf sheaths overlapping
slightly; panicles erect, mid-compact, ellipsoid to sometimes ovoid; rachis
usually continuous ; rachis branches short to mid-long ; glumes thinly pubescent
or glabrous at maturity, dark reddish brown to yellow and straw, chartaceous,
ovate, apices acute; lemmas with short awns; stigmas yellow; kernels much
 56 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 5 0 6, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE

exposed and extending well beyond apices of glumes, mid-size, reddish brown,
ellipsoid, endosperm starchy, corneous layer thin, nucellar layer present; pedi-
cellate spikelets reddish brown and persistent at maturity; coleoptiles red.
A panicle, spikelets, and kernels are shown in plate 20.
History.—Ball {SO, p. 22) gives the first recorded introduction of kaoliang as
about 1865 and lists a few other lots of seed received previous to 1898, when
the United States Department of Agriculture began importations. These early
introductions were probably discarded.
The variety named and described by Ball {30, p. 52) as Manchu Brown was
received first in 1898 from Siberia, and later (1906 and 1907) from Manchuria.
Distributions by the United States Department of Agriculture were made from
time to time and by the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station from
1913 to 1915.
Distribution.—Small acreage grown in Oklahoma. Formerly grown in South
Dakota and other States where it was distributed.
Synonyms.—The name is often translated from Chinese literature as kowliang
and gaolan.
25. STANDARD YELLOW MILO

Desorip/ion.—Plants midseason (112 days, average of 21 crop years), mid-tall

(62 inches, average of 20 crop years) ; stems mid-stout, mid-juicy to dry, not
sweet; tillers freely; branches mid-f reely ; mid-leafy (11 to 14) ; midribs yellow
(pi. 3) ; leaf sheaths overlapping slightly to moderately; panicles inclined to
recurved, compact, ovoid to ellipsoid ; rachis usually continuous ; rachis branches
short to mid-long, stifC; glumes pubescent but pubescence partly deciduous at
maturity, black to reddish brown or sometimes straw-colored, somewhat charta-
ceous near apex, but indurate below middle, transversely wrinkled, obovate to
sometimes ovate, apices acute to obtuse, but frequently broken off at maturity ;
lemmas with long awns ; stigmas yellow ; kernels much exposed, large, salmon
yellow (Ridgway's pale yellow orange to ferruginous^*), obovoid to almost
globose, somewhat flattened on embryo side, endosperm starchy, corneous layer
thin, nucellar layer absent ; pedicellate spikelets straw-colored to reddish brown ;
coleoptile red. A panicle, spikelets, and kernels are shown in plate 21.
History.—Origin undetermined. No imported sorghum has been observed
^vhich is identical with milo, but some forms of yellow-seeded durra received
from Africa are very similar to it in seed and panicle characters. The name
"millo maize" {86) seems to have been first applied by H. B. Pratt, of South
Carolina, to the sorghum known as Guinea kafir, Guinea corn, or Rural Branch-
ing durra, which was formerly grown in this country. Mr. Pratt attempted to
copyright the name ''millo maize" and sell seed at $2 a pound in 1882 {18).
After Standard Yellow milo became known the Guinea kafir was designated as
White milo and the true milo as Yellow milo.
The date of the introduction or first propagation of Standard Yellow milo
is unknown, but it was reported by King {95, p. 60) among the crops grown
in 1886, as follows : " On the Gulf border of Florida, the Yellow Millo Maize and
Johnson grass have been reported by good farmers as excelling all other forage
plants." Yellow milo also had been grown in South Carolina as early as
1886 {59). Seed was offered for sale by seedsmen in Augusta, Ga., in 1887
{19), and in Richmond, Va., in 1888 {ISIf, p. 64). Standard Yellow milo was
grown at the Kansas {134, p. 64) and Louisiana (Í//5, p. 316) Agricultural
Experiment Stations in 1888 and at the Nebraska station in 1889 {I4I, p. 17).
After 1890 the growing of milo expanded rapidly, particularly in Texas.
No definite evidence exists that the present type of milo was derived from a
so-called "Giant" milo formerly reported occasionally. The occurrence of
Giant milo in the United States is not definitely proved. However, some
grain sorghum plants very similar to milo introduced from Africa have dis-
played the extreme height, thickness, and vigor of first-generation hybrid milo
plants, which are in some instances referred to as " Giant milo."
Distribution.—Grown in Texas, Oklahoma, and Arizona and to a very small
extent in some other States.
Synonyms.—Standard maize, Standard Red maize. Red Egyptian corn.

13 RiDGWAY, R. COLOR STANDARDS AND COLOR NOMENCLATURE. 43 pp., illus Washing-

ton, D. C, 1912.
Technical Bulletin 506, U. S. Department of Agriculture PLATE 19

RED KAFIR.
Panicle, scale indicates size in inches ; spikelets and kernels in three positions, X 3.
Technical Bulletin 506, U. S. Department of Agriculture. PLATE 20

MANCHU BROWN KAOLIANG.

Panicle, scale indicates size in inches; splljelets and kernels in tliree positions, X 3
Technical Bulletin 506, U. S. Department of Agriculture PLATE 21

STANDARD YELLOW MILO.

Panicle, scale indicates size in inches; spikelets and kernels in three positions, X í
Technical Bulletin 506. U. S. Department of Agriculture PLATE 22

DOUBLE DWARF YELLOW MILD.

Panicle» scale indicates size in inches; spikelets and kernels in three pcsitions, X 3.
Technical Bulletin 506. U. S. Department of Agriculture PLATE 23

DWARF WHITE M I LO.

Fanlde, scale indicates size in inches; spikelets and kernels in three positions, X 3.
Technical Bulletin 506. U. S. Department of Agriculture PLATE 24

EARLY WHITE MI LO.

Panicle, scale indicates size in inches; spikelets and kernels in three positions, X 3
Technical Bulletin 306, U. S. Department of Agriculture PLATE 25

4
i L :
9Hi9ls
I
ffî@l r
'--7 • - • 4^ i •

^smsiK f
f
^

r*«^<9 f BEAVER.
Panicle, scale indicates size in inches; spikelets and kernels in three positions, X 3.
Technical Bulletin 506. U. S. Department of Agriculture PLATE 26

WHEATLAND.
Panicle .scale indicates size in inches; spikelets and kernels in three positions, X 3.
 COMMON SORGHUM VARIETIES 57
26. DWARF YELLOW MILO

Description.—Similar to Standard Yellow milo except that the plants are

short (average about 48 inches), the heads are not as well exserted, the rachis
is more often discontinuous, and the leaves overlap more.
Histoj^V.—Origin undetermined. It probably arose as a mutation from Stand-
ard Yellow milo by the change of a single genetic factor for Internode length.
Its first appearance is not recorded, and it may not have been isolated from
Standard Yellow milo until some years after it developed. Standard Yellow
milo usually was rather short when grown under semiarid conditions and was
frequently mistakenly called Dwarf milo. In the spring of 1906, however, seed
of the true Dwarf Yellow was secured from J. F. Bradley, Memphis, Tex. He
wrote : '' I did not originate the variety, nor do I know the origin of it. It was
brought to this county from Oklahoma, and I observe that it now grows much
taller than S years ago." An erroneous origin of the variety was suggested by
Mr. Bradley : " " Now I have been told, but have never seen it verified, that the
dwarf variety is originated
by using seed from short
suckers that come out far
upon the stalk."
Several hundred pounds
of Mr. Bradley's seed was
purchased and distributed
by the United States De-
partment of Agriculture
iu 1906. It was later dis-
tributed from several field
stations, and doubtless
most of the Dwarf Yellow
milo now being grown is
the progeny of the crop
grown by Mrf. Bradley.
A quantity of seed of
Dwarf Yellow milo (C. I.
149; S. P. I. 18345) also
was secured from the FIGURE 9.—Distribution of Dwarf Yellow milo in the
Barteldes Seed Co., Law- United States in 1924. Each dot represents 500 acres.
Estimated area, 1,625,000 acres.
rence, Kans., April 17,
1906. This strain was
grown at the Amarillo (Tex.) Cereal Field Station for several years. Dwarf
Yellow milo may thus have been grown in Oklahoma and probably in Kansas
for several years previous to its discovery by agronomists. Owing to the
variation in height under different environments, it is not always possible
to distinguish between Standard Yellow and Dwarf Yellow milo unless the two
varieties are grown in adjacent plots. References to Dwarf Yellow milo pre-
vious to 1906 may have referred either to the true dwarf type or to the taller
Standard Yellow variety dwarfed by environmental conditions.
Distril)ution.—Dwarf Yellow milo is the principal grain sorghum variety in
Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, and California and is second only to Blackhull
kafir in Oklahoma and in the Sorghum Belt as a whole. Grown extensively in
southwestern Kansas and on smaller acreages in North Carolina, Kentucky,
Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Arizona. The
center of its production is somewhat south and west of the center of Blackhull
kafir production (fig. 9).
Synonyms.—Dwarf maize, red maize, red milo, crook-neck maize. Heileman
milo is the name given to a purified lot of Dwarf Yellow milo formerly
distributed in California.
27. DOUBLE DWARF YELLOW MILO
Description.—Plants midseason, mature with Dwarf Yellow milo or 2 to 6
days earlier; extra dwarf (24 to 30 inches) ; leaf sheaths overlapping very
much, heads often not well exserted, panicles usually ellipsoid; fewer heads
recurved than in Dwarf Yellow. Otherwise like Standard Yellow and Dwarf
Yellow milo. A panicle, spikelets, and kernels are shown in plate 22.
" Letter, Feb. 13, 1908.
58 TECBÍNICAL BULLETIN 5 0 6, U. S. DEPT. OF AGEICULTUKE

History.—Like the other true milos, the origin of the Double Dwarf variety
has not been determined. Probably it originated as a mutation from Dwarf
Yellow milo by the change of a single height factor. Double Dwarf Yellow
milo was first brought to the attention of agronomists in the Imperial Valley
of California in 1918. It was grown there that year by C. C. Deane, who
purchased a 40-pound lot of Arizona-grown seed from the Nicholl-Loomis
Grain Co., Brawley, Calif.^^ Mr. Deane rogued his crop for 3 years and sold
his 1920 crop to the Germain Seed Co., Los Angeles, Calif., which distributed
it widely. O. B. Crary also was growing Double Dwarf milo near Calipatria,
Calif., in the Imperial Valley in 1918 from seed obtained in El Centro, Calif.
Seed from this farm was later purified and distributed by the California
Agricultural Experiment Station. Apparently the Double Dw^arf Yellow
variety was first isolated in the Salt River Valley of Arizona. D. E. Creigh-
ton,^* former assistant farm adviser of Imperial County, Calif., recalls seeing
the double dwarf type of milo in the Salt River Valley as early as 1910.
Double Dwarf Yellow milo, under the
name of Extra Dwarf milo, was secured
from the Texas Seed & Floral Co., Dallas,
Tex., by R. E. Dickson, superintendent of
Texas substation no. 7, Spur, Tex., in April
1920.
Distrihution.—Grown in California, Ari-
zona, and Texas.
Synonyms .—Extra Dwarf milo, rabbit
maize.
28. STANDARD WHITE MILO
Description.—Very similar to Standard
Yellow milo except that the seed coat is
white, usually with reddish-brown to black
spots.
History.—Origin undetermined. It prob-
FIGURE 10.—Distribution of White ably originated as a mutation from Standard
milo (Standard and Dwarf) in
the United States in 1924. Each Yellow milo by the change of a single genetic
dot represents 500 acres. Esti- factor for color. Its first appearance on
mated area, 122,100 acres. farms apparently has not been recorded.
The name White milo was first used for
Guinea kafir about 1887, and early references to the true Standard White milo
are thus badly obscured. According to Ball and Rothgeb (33), Standard White
milo probably was introduced about 1888 to 1893. "It was found under cultiva-
tion in scattered localities in western Texas in 1909, during an extensive
reconnaissance made by the senior writer. It has since been found sparingly in
Oklahoma." This late discovery would indicate that the variety may have
originated much later than the writers suggest.
Standard White milo has never become widely grown, as it is in no way
superior to the Standard Yellow variety, and the yellow grain is preferred in
the market.
Distrihution.—Grown to a limited extent in Texas and occasionally in adjoin-
ing States (fig. 10).
Synonym.—White maize.
29. DWARF WHITE MILO
Description.—Like Dwarf Yellow milo except that the seed coat is white. A
panicle, spikelets, and kernels are shown in plate 23.
History.—Origin undetermined. It probably originated as a mutation from
either Dwarf Yellow or Standard White milo, or as a recombination from a cross
between the two, as it apparently differs from each of these varieties by a single
genetic factor. The variety was brought to public attention by Camp, who
wrote (42) : "There are two kinds of white milo, the standard and the dwarf.
The standard has been grown in southwestern Texas for many years. It grows
from 6 to 8 feet high. * * * rpj^g improved white dwarf has been grown in
some of the western counties of Oklahoma for several years. It grows from 4

15 Letter from C. C. Deane, Los Angeles, Calif.

'^ Personal correspondence with A. T. Bartel, U. S. Department of Agriculture.
 COMMON SOKGHUM VARIETIES 59

to 6 feet high * * *. Last year we got one peck of improved white dwarf
milo seed from a neighbor, who had been visiting in Texas County, Okla."
Distribution.—Grown sparingly in several Southw^estern States.
30. EARLY WHITE MILO
Description.—Early White milo is similar to Standard White milo but is
much earlier and has fewer leaves, smaller panicles, and more slender stalks.
In height it is intermediate between the Standard White and Dwarf White
varieties. It is the earliest commercial variety of White milo. The stalks are
regarded as sweet by some farmers. A panicle, spikelets, and kernels are
shown in plate 24.
History.—Early White milo was being grown in western Texas as early as
1911, since it was obtained in February 1912 by the Division of Cereal Crops and
Diseases from C. F. Harris, Hale Center, Tex., and during the same year by the
Division of Forage Crops and Diseases from a farmer's field near Chillicothe,
Tex.
Distribution.—Grown in western Texas.
Synonyms.—^ugsir milo, Little Sweet milo, 40 day milo, TO^day milo.
31. BEAVER
Description.—Plants early to midseason, very short (average about 30
inches); stem mid-stout, mid-juicy to dry, not sweet; tillers mid-f reely ;
branches mid-freely; mid-leafy (10 to 15) ; midribs yellow; leaf sheaths over-
lapping much; panicles erect to inclined but sometimes recurved; compact,
ovoid to ellipsoid ; rachis 80 to 90 percent of head length ; rachis branches short
to mid-long, somewhat appressed; glumes pubescent, dark reddish brown, in-
durate, ovate to obovate, not transversely wrinkled, apices obtuse; lemmas
aw^ned ; stigmas pale yellow ; kernels much exposed but less than Standard Yellow
or White milos, mid-size to large, yellow, obovoid to nearly globose, endosperm
starchy, corneous layer mid-thick, nucellar layer absent; pedicellate spikelets
dark brown; coleoptiles red. A panicle, spikelets, and kernels are shown in
plate 25.
Beaver differs from Double Dwarf Yellow milo in tillering less, in having
nearly erect, less compact but better exserted panicles, and glumes without the
transverse wrinkles.
History.—^A selection from a backeross on Dwarf Yellow milo of a kafir-milo
hybrid produced by J. B. Sieglinger at the Southern Great Plains Field Station,
Woodward, Okla. The Fa generation of the original cross was grown in 1920,
and one of the hybrid selections was crossed back with Dwarf Yellow milo in
1922. It was first distributed to farmers in 1928 (139).
Distribution.—^Western Kansas and Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle.
Synonyms.—Combine milo, hog maize.
32. WHEATLAND
Description.—Plants early to midseason, very short (average about 30
inches) ; stems mid-stout, mid-juicy to dry, not sweet ; tillers mid-freely to
freely; branches mid-freely; mid-leafy (8 to 13) ; midribs yellow; leaf sheaths
overlapping much; panicles erect, mid-compact, cylindroid; rachis 50 to TO
percent of head length and usually discontinuous; rachis branches mid-long
and appressed except at tip ; glumes pubescent, dark reddish brown, thin, and
sometimes indurate, ovate to elliptic, apices acute; lemmas awnless; stigmas
pale yellow; kernels much exposed, mid-size to large, yellow, obovoid to
globose, endosperm starchy, corneous layer mid-thick, nucellar layer absent;
pedicellate spikelets reddish brown, large and conspicuous; coleoptiles red.
The leaves have a tendency to roll and are somewhat narrow. The heads
" blast " severely when heading during hot, dry weather. A panicle, spikelets,
and kernels are shown in plate 26.
Wheatland differs from Double Dwarf Yellow milo in having erect, less
compact panicles with truncate tips, longer glumes with no transverse wrinkle,
awnless lemmas, and slightly smaller and less intensely colored seeds.
History.—A selection from a kafir-milo hybrid made by J. B. Sieglinger,
Woodward, Okla. It was named and first distributed to farmers in Kansas
and Oklahoma in 1931 (139).
Distribution.—Grown in the western part of Kansas and in Oklahoma and
Texas.
60 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 5 0 6, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE

33. FARGO
Description.—Plants late (average about 124 days), mid-tall (average about
60 inches) ; stems mid-stout to stout, mid-juicy to dry, not sweet; tillers mid-
freely to freely; branches mid-freely; leafy (13 to 16) ; midribs yellow; leaf
sheaths overlapping much ; panicles erect, but tips of branches often drooping,
mid-compact to effuse, various shapes but usually ellipsoid or ovoid; rachis
75 to 90 percent of head length; rachis branches mid-long to long; glumes
pubescent but pubescence partly deciduous, straw-colored to brown, some-
what chartaceous, not transversely wrinkled, ovate to elliptic, apices acute;
lemmas with geniculate awns; stigmas yellow; kernels much exposed but less
than in Dwarf milo, mid-size to large, salmon yellow with red and black
spots, obovoid to globose but flattened on embryo side, endosperm starchy,
corneous layer thin to mid-thick, nucellar layer absent; pedicellate spikelets
straw-colored to brown, large and conspicuous; coleoptiles red. A panicle,
spikelets, and kernels are shown in plate 27.
History.—A variety originated by H. Willis Smith, a farmer and sorghum
breeder, of Haskell County, Kans., and later of Se ward County, Kans., as a
selection from a kafir-milo hybrid. It was breeding true in 1916 and was
distributed in 1919" and again in 1921. The variety was called "Bufe kafir"
by the originator. Farmers who later grew the crop called it "straight-neck
maize " or " straight-neck milo " and apparently were unaware of its origin
or of the name given by the originator. In 1928 the Division of Cereal Crops
and Diseases secured seed of Buff kafir from Mr. Smith. When grown that
season Fargo straight-neck and Buff kafir proved to be the same variety.
Until then the origin of Fargo was undetermined.
The variety was first obtained by the United States Department of Agricul-
ture in 1922 from a farmer residing near Fargo, Ellis County, Okla., and was
grown in experiments at Woodward, Okla., in 1923. The variety gradually in-
creased in popularity in southwestern Kansas and the Oklahoma Panhandle
until 1927, when it occupied a larger area than Dwarf Yellow milo in some
localities. Since 1927 the acreage has declined considerably because of its late
maturity and tendency to lodge.
Distribution.—Grown in Oklahoma, Texas, and southwestern Kansas.
Synonyms.—Buft knfir, Fargo milo, Fargo Straight-Neck, Straight-Neck
maize. Straight maize.
34. MANKO
Description.—Manko is similar to Fargo but is later and leafier, and the
panicles are more compact and are ellipsoid. The stalks are rather juicy, and
the leaf midribs are a yellowish gray. The glumes are not transversely wrinkled
and have acute tips. The coleoptiles are green.
History.—Doubtless a kafir-milo hybrid of unknown origin. It was exploited
by seedsmen at Lubbock, Tex., in 1928.
Di8tril)ution.—Grown scatteringly in Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma.
Synonyms.—Manko maize, sweet maize.
35. DESERT BISHOP

Description.—Plants midseason, mid-tall ; stems mid-stout to stout, mid-juicy,

not sweet ; tillers mid-freely ; branches mid-freely ; mid-leafy (8 to 12) ; midribs
yellow ; leaf sheath overlapping moderately ; panicles inclined to recurved, com-
pact, ellipsoid ; rachis 70 to 100 percent of head length but usually continuous ;
rachis branches mid-long at base and short at apex, appressed; glumes pubes-
cent, usually dark brown but vary from black to straw color, indurate but often
chartaceous at apex, obovate, transversely wrinkled, apices obtuse ; lemmas with
long geniculate awns ; stigmas creamy white ; kernels much exposed, large, white
with dark-brown spots, obovoid to globose, endosperm starchy, corneous layer
thin, nucellar layer absent ; pedicellate spikelets straw-colored to dark brown ;
coleoptiles red. A panicle, spikelets, and kernels are shown in plate 28.
Desert Bishop differs from Standard White milo in being later and in having
longer, more slender, and pointed panicles. It resembles Bishop except in ha^^ng
more compact panicles and in having glumes and kernels like milo.
History.—Probably a kafir-milo hybrid. It was selected from a mixed lot
obtained in the Oklahoma Panhandle by H. H. Finnell, Panhandle Agricultural
and Mechanical College, Goodwell, Okla., and was distributed in 1927.
" Letter from H. Willis Smith, Feb. 3, 1930.
Technical Bulletin 506, U. S. Department of Agriculture PLATE 27

FARGO.
Panicle, scale indicates size in inclies spilîelets and kernels in three positions, X 3.
Technical Bulletin 506, U. S. Department of Agriculture PLATE 28

DESERT BISHOP.
Panicle, scale indicates size in inches; spikelets and kernels in three positions, X 3.
Technical Bulletin 506, U. S. Department of Agriculture PLATE 29

BISHOP.
Panicle, scale indicates size in inches; spikelets and kernels in three positions, X 3.
Technical Bulletin 506, U. S. Department of Agriculture PLATE 30

SHALLU.
Panicle, scale indicates size in inches; spikelets and kernels In three positions, X 3.
Technical Bulletin 506. U. S. Department of Agriculture PLATE 31

FREED.
Panicle, scale indicates size in inches; spikelets and kernels in three positions. X 3.
Technical Bulletin 506, U. S. Department of Agriculture PLATE 32

^4^n

i
i
il
\
*
r
\
■..t,/.T 'V ■ '
f
i f
•

'
u'\^'.^^-- m
f irmpwt
in'r-£^il
■4

^m
vH^K

$#<cf 1 V h
GROHOMA.
Panicle, scale indicates size in inches; spilselets and Iternels in three positions, X 3.
Technical Bulletin 506, U. S. Department of Agriculture PLATE 33

DARSO.
Panicle, scale indicates size in inches; spikelets and kernels in three positions, X 3,
Technical,Bulletin 506, U. S. Department of Agriculture PLATE 34

SCHROCK.
Panicle, scale indicates size in inches; spikelets and kernels in three positions, X 3.
 COMMON" SOEGHUM VARIETIES 61

Distrihution.—Grown to a limited extent in western Oklahoma.

Synonpm.—Desert maize. The desert maize strain has slightly more open
panicles which are not quite so pointed at the tip ; it was found growing in the
Texas Panhandle about 1923.
36. BISHOP
Desaription.—Plants midseason to late, mid-tall; stems stout, mid-juicy, not
sweet; tillers mid-freely ; branches sparsely; leafy (13 to 16) ; midribs cloudy;
leaf sheaths overlapping much ; panicles erect, mid-compact but tending toward
effuse, ellipsoid to ovoid ; rachis 85 to lOO percent of head length ; rachis branches
mid-long, somewhat spreading or drooping; glumes pubescent, black, indurate,
elliptic, apices acute to obtuse; lemmas with long geniculate awns; stigmas
white ; kernels partly exposed in angle of glumes and somewhat beyond apices
of glumes, mid-size to large, white with reddish-brown to black spots, obovold,
endosperm starchy, corneous layer mid-thick, nucellar layer absent ; pedicellate
spikelets straw-colored to reddish-brown, inconspicuous at maturity ; coleoptiles
green. A panicle, spikelets, and kernels are shown in plate 29.
Bishop differs from kafirs in having awns and from White milo in having no
transverse wrinkle on the glumes.
History.—History not established. Judging from its characteristics, it doubt-
less is a kafir-milo hybrid. George Bishop, Oordell, Okla., former editor of the
Oklahoma Farmer-Stockman, was instrumental in the distribution of the variety
about 1915.
Distrihution.—Grown on limited acreages in Oklahoma, Texas, and Kansas.
Synonym.—Algeria. Bishop was exploited under this name in 1928 by seeds-
men at Lubbock, Tex. {12J). The Algeria strain occasionally differs slightly
from Bishop in height and maturity.
37. SHALLU
Description.—Plant? very late (average about 130 days), mid-tall to tall ; stems
mid-slender to mid-st >ut, dry, not sweet ; tillers freely ; branches very freely ;
leafy (12 to 15) ; mid-ribs white; leaf sheaths overlapping moderately; panicles
erect, effuse with long, usually drooping branches, conoid but usually flattened
on leaning tillers because the panicle branches hang to the lower side ; rachis
usually continuous; rachis branches long; glumes partly pubescent, straw-
colored, somewhat coriaceous, widely spreading at maturity and inrolled or
involute, apices acute; lemmas with long awns; stigmas yellow; kernels al-
most wholly exposed and usually rotated slightly or even as much as 90 de-
grees at maturity, mid-i^ize, white, ellipsoid, flattened on embryo side, endo-
sperm starchy, corneous layer thick, nucellar layer absent; pedicellate spike-
lets straw-colored; coleoptiles green. A panicle, spikelets, and kernels are
shown in plate 30.
Strains with colored kerni^ls and glumes occur but are not common.
History.—The previous known history of shallu in this country was given
by Ball (27, p. 4) in 1910 as lollows :
" It was imported idirectl:^ from India by officers of the Louisiana State
Experiment Station about 1890. By them it was known as 'Egyptian wheat*,
and was found to be an inferior variety of sorghum * * *.
"Though discarded by th?. Louisiana station, small lots of seed had been
taken from time to time by visitors. In this way the variety was carried to
other localities, principally westward into Texas and Oklahoma. Early in
1905 it came to the writer's attention in Texas, under the name * California
wheat.' Through field investigation and the aid of agricultural papers it was
found growing at scattered points in Oklahoma and Texas. Many names,
mostly somewhat misleading, have been applied to it in the past five years.
Among them are ' California Rice corn ', ' California wheat ', ' Chicken corn ',
'Chinese Golden sorghum', 'Egyptian rice', 'Egyptian wheat', 'Mexican
wheat ', and ' Rice corn '."
Varieties of shallu are commonly grown in India. The name in the Bombay
Deccan is applied to any fall-sown sorghum of which varieties similar to the
above are commonly grown.
Distribution.—Rei>orteú from Georgia, Mississippi, Arkansas, Missouri, Colo-
rado, and New Mexico, and grown occasionally in Texas and Louisiana.
Synonyms.—See History.
62 TECHKIGAL BULLETIN 5 0 6, V, S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTUEE

38. FREED
Description.—Plants very early (89 days, average of 23 crop years), mid-tall
to tall (64 inches, average of 23 crop years) ; stem slender, juicy, slightly
sweet ; tillers mid-freely ; branches freely ; leaves few ; midribs cloudy ; leaf
sheaths overlapping none to slightly; panicles erect, effuse, ellipsoid or with
branches often hanging to one side; rachis 90 to 100 percent of head length
but usually continuous ; rachis branches mid-long to long and spreading ; glumes
thinly pubescent to glabrous on back at maturity but thickly pubescent at
callus, edges, and apex, straw-colored to purplish, indurate, usually elliptic
but from ovate to obovate, apices acute to obtuse ; lemmas with long awns ;
stigmas yellow ; kernels somew^hat exposed but less than Blackhull kafir, mid-
size and flatter than kafir, pearly white and usually without spots except at the
hilum, globose to ellipsoid, endosperm starchy, corneous layer thick, nucellar
layer absent; pedicellate spikelets straw-colored to purplish, large; coleoptiles
red. A panicle, spikelets, and kernels are shown in plate 31.
History.—A variety distributed by J. K. Freed, of Scott City, Kans. The
United States Department of Agriculture purchased some seed in 1910, and it
was assigned S. P. I. No. 27764. At that time Mr. Freed stated that he had
grown this variety for 3 or 4 years, but its origin
was unknown to him. In an interview with one of
the writers in 1925 he recalled that he had obtained
locally some "cane" seed that had been brought in by
/ •.•••••'•? homesteaders, which proved to be a mixture con-
taining some White durra and a white-seeded sorgo,
along with the sieed of Black Amber and other
sorgos. The Freed sorghum was selected from this
mixture. The characters of the variety indicate
that it may be a hybrid between White durra and
Black Amber sorgo.
FIGURE 11. Distribution of Distribution.—No acreage of consequence except
Freed sorghum in the in western Kansas and eastern Colorado, but re-
united states in 1924 ported from Nebraska and Texas and grown occa-
a^afs. '°EstStef\r'ea' «ionally in Oklahoma (fig. 11).
18,800 acres. Spnon^M.—White cane.
39. DWARF FREED
Desoription.—Differs from Freed in being shorter (about two-thirds as tall).
Histoî^y.—Originated as a dwarf plant found by A. F. Swanson in a head row
of Freed sorghum growing at the Fort Hays Branch Experiment Station, Hays,
Kans., in 1921. Selection to eliminate natural hybrids was continued until 1924.
In 1925 a small quantity of seed was sent to J. K. Freed, Scott City, Kans., for
trial. He produced about 100 bushels of seed in 1926, and the following year
about 1,000 acres were planted in the vicinity.
Distribution.—^Limited distribution in western Kansas.

40. GROHOMA

Description.—Plants midseason to late, mid-tall (48 to 66 inches) ; stems

mid-stout to stout, mid-juicy, slightly swx^et ; tillers mid-freely ; branches freely ;
mid-leafy to leafy ; midribs white to cloudy ; leaf sheaths overlapping much ;
I'anicles erect, poorly exserted, mid-compact, cylindroid to fusiform, long ; rachis
about 95 percent of head length; rachis branches mid-long to long at base to
short at tip, somewhat appressed ; glumes black to dark reddish black, indurate,
ovate to elliptic, apices acute to sometimes obtuse ; lemmas not aw^ned ; stigmas
creamy white ; kernels considerably exposed, mid-size, buff or light brown,
globose to ellipsoid or obovoid, somewhat flattened on hilum side, endosperm
starchy, corneous layer mid-thick, nucellar layer present ; pedicellate spikelets
straw-colored or brown and inconspicuous; coleoptiles green. Grohoma con-
tains mixtures of plants with long black glumes, chalky white kernels, and
short, compact panicles. A panicle, spikelets, and kernels are shown in plate 32.
History.—The characteristics of Grohoma indicate that it is the result of a
hybrid between feterita and some variety of sorgo. It w^as first distributed in
1929 by Fred Groff, a farmer living near Britton, Okla., who claimed to have
produced the variety by budding or grafting kafir on "ribbon cane" (Honey
sorgo). The name Grohoma was derived from the words Groff and Oklahoma.
Attempts by Mr. Groff to demonstrate such an origin were not successful. The
 COMMON SORGHUM VARIETIES 63
claim of promoters that Grohoma was produced by grafting kafir on sugarcane
is obviously false. The characters of Grohoma are such that it could not have
been produced even by a combination of kafir and Honey, although its origin
by hybridization is almost certain. Grohoma was widely exploited from 1929
to 1932.
DistriJmUon.—Grown to a limited extent in many States.

41. DARSO
Description.—Plants midseason (112. days, average of 28 crop years), dwarf
to mid-tall (49 inches, average of 24 crop years) ; stems mid-stout to stout,
mid-juicy, somewhat sweet; tillers sparsely; branches sparsely to mid-freely;
mid-leafy (8 to 12) ; midribs cloudy and sometimes yellow; leaf sheaths over-
lapping moderately ; panicles erect, mid-compact, ellipsoid ; rachis usually con-
tinuous ; rachis branches mid-long to long at the base and usually hanging to
one side; glumes thinly pubescent, reddish black to reddish brown, indurate,
elliptic, apices acute ; lemmas awned ; stigmas pale yellow ; kernels much ex-
posed but somewhat less than kafir, mid-size, reddish brown (varies about the
Hays russet of Ridgway^^), ellipsoid to obovoid, endosperm starchy, corneous
layer thin to mid-thick, nucellar layer present,
seed coat checked ; pedicellate spikelets large,
reddish-brown, coleoptiles green. A panicle,
spikelets, and kernels are shown in plate 33.
Distinguished from Schrock by longer heads,
which usually lean more, presence of awns,
narrower glumes, and somewhat lighter color
and the checking of the seed coat.
History.—The following report on darso was
made by Beeson and Daane {S6, p. 2) in 1919:
"Darso is a new sorghum developed and
named at the Oklahoma Experiment Station.
The exact origin and history is not known. In
1912 the station received the first supply of
seed from a farmer in southwest Logan County
who sent a head for identification. Later it
was learned that it had been grown in a small
way in Kingfisher and adjoining counties. FIGURE 12.—Distribution of darso
* * * Selection work has been carried on in the United States in 1924.
at the Oklahoma Experiment Station for high Eacli dot represents 500 acres.
Estimated area, 79,100 acres.
grain-yielding quality and improvement of
other characteristics."
It probably is the result of a natural hybrid between some sorgo and a grain
sorghum. The name is a contraction of letters from the descriptive name
" dwarf red sorghum."
Distribution.—^Grown in Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Texas (fig. 12).
Synonym.—Ma izo.
42. SCHROCK
Description.—Plants late (120 days, average of 17 crop years), dwarf to mid-
tall (50 inches, average of 22 crop years) ; stems stout, mid-juicy, not sweet;
tillers sparsely; branches sparsely; leafy (12 to 15), leaves large; midribs
cloudy; leaf sheaths overlapping much; panicles erect, mid-compact or tending
toward effuse, cylindroid to obconoid and various shapes; rachis 50 to 100 per-
cent of head length ; rachis branches mid-long to long ; glumes pubescent but
pubescence largely deciduous, giving a shiny appearance at maturity, black or
reddish black, indurate, elliptic, apices acute to obtuse ; lemmas not awned ;
stigmas pale yellow ; kernels much exposed but a little less than kafir, mid-size,
reddish brown with dark spots, ellipsoid, endosperm waxy, nucellar laj^er pres-
ent ; pedicellate spikelets straw-colored or tan ; coleoptiles green. A panicle,
spikelets, and kernels are shown in plate 34.
History.—Vinall and Edwards {1S1, p. 7) reported the first recognition of
Schrock as follows:
" The Schrock variety * * * was discovered by Roy Schrock, a mail
carrier at Enid, Okla., in 1912.'* Seeing a vigorous and very heavily seeded

18RIDGWAY, R. See footnote 13.

^« Correspondence with Mr. Schrock places these years as 1911 and 1912, respectively.
64 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 5 0 6, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE

plant growing in a field along his route, he gathered the seed and took it home
to plant the following year. In 1913 ""^ Mr* Schrock grew a row of it in his
garden and sent a sample to the United States Department of Agriculture for
identification. It appears to be a hybrid between some kafir and a sweet
sorghum * * *."
The waxy endosperm indicates that the sorgo parent was Chinese Amber or a
derivative of that variety.
Distribution.—Grown in Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana,
and Texas.
S¡/nonpm.—Sagrain. This is the name applied to a selected strain of Schrock
which, according to the Mississippi Agricultural Experiment Station Press Cir-
cular 199, was found in 1917 growing on the farm of W. T. Allen near Lyon,
Miss. It was highly recommended as a grain crop in the Delta section of
Mississippi in 1926 and 1927.
43. SUMAC SORGO
Description.—Plants midseason to late (119 days, average of 25 crop years),
tall (72 inches, average of 22 crop years); stems mid-stout, juicy, sweet;
tillers freely; branches sparsely to mid-freely; leafy (12 to 15); midribs
cloudy ; leaf sheaths
overlapping much ;

--T^-niX/
L/^J ** s
»
---TÍ^í-^'^A*- •
N . ^ / y^z-"-^
panicles small, erect,
compact, cylindroid,
relatively short and
blocky ; rachis 60 to
lOO percent of head
íi--—zP^^ length but usu-
:.. tfn ^ —-T^^^>-^ ally discontinuous ;
*r%Êàt^*''
ís^^'í*»«^*..^
*«-í^?rr^^—( -
■ r^rr X /
/ ••■ \ \ ^
rachis branches

'^V'^'-—Lf—-v-J -¿..-^ I /_ \ V
_-L_i
short, appressed and
heavily fruited ;
glumes thinly pu-
\V \/^' '^^ r^^N.,^^^^ \ bescent, black to
reddish brown in
\\
\ ^ ^f
Vi \ \ well-matured
\j
heads,
thin but indurate,
}\ C small, elliptic to
V Y ^ ^^
ovate or rarely ob-
FIGURE 13.—Distribution of Sumac (including Early Sumac) ovate, apices some-
sorgo in the United States in 1924. Each dot represents 500 times acute but gen-
acres. Estimated area, 1,060,900 acres. erally rounded or
obtuse, the second
glume usually larger than the first ; lemmas not awned ; stigmas yellow ; kernels
much exposed and extending well beyond apices of glumes, small, uniformly
dark reddish brown but sometimes lighter where unexposed, very plump and
generally obovoid to globose, endosperm starchy, corneous layer mid-thick to
thick, nucellar layer present; pedicellate spikelets small, light reddish brown,
almost straw color at the base, inconspicuous, fairly persistent ; coleoptiles red.
A panicle, spikelets, and kernels are shown in plate 35.
The relatively small, compact, cylindroid panicle with deep brownish-red
kernels very prominently exposed almost to the exclusion of glumes makes this
variety easily identified because the heads resemble so closely the fruit of
ordinary sumac (Rhus glabra L.).
History.—Sumac is without doubt one of Leonard Wray's introductions from
Natal. In March 1851 Leonard Wray, an Englishman, arrived in Natal, South
Africa, and observed the sorghums being grown by the natives. He secured
seeds of some of these and in 1854 had them grown in Europe, particularly in
France, England, Spain, and Italy {111). Seed produced near Toulouse, France,
was brought to this country by Mr. Wray in May 1857 at the request of Horace
Greeley. Fifteen varieties of African sorgos, which he called "African Imphees ",
were introduced by Wray {111), who sent the seed to Georgia and South Caro-
lina to be grown on farms. Richard Peters, of Atlanta, Ga., grew about 36 acres
and ex-Governor Hammond of South Carolina grew a somewhat larger acreage.
The varieties were badly mixed in 1857 {2,S), but the seed from the crop was
sold widely.
20 See footnote 19.
Technical Bulletin 506, U. S. Department oF Agriculture PLATE 35

SUMAC SORGO.

Panicle, scale indicates size In inches; spikelets and kernels in three positions, X 3.
Technical Bulletin 506, U. S. Department of Agriculture PLATE 36

jftS^^*

m
&

'^K ^Ê^-
▼▼^1 fffi
CHINESE AMBER SORGO.

Paniçlç, scale indicates size in inches; spikelets and kernels in three positions, X 3.
Technical Bulletin 506, U. S. Department of Agriculture PLATE 37

MINNESOTA AMBER SORGO.

Panicle, scale indicates size in inches; spikelets and kernels in three positions, X 3.
Technical Bulletin 506. U. S. Department of Agriculture PLATE 38

DAKOTA AMBER SORGO.

Panicle, scale indicates size in inches; spiklets and kernelin three positions, X !
 COMMON SORGHUM VARIETIES 65

The description of the Koombana variety by Gould (71) closely corresponds

to the Sumac variety of today. Pech (111) Illustrated and described the Sumac
variety under the name Liberian. Collier (48, pp. 68-69) reports that Wray
identified the Liberian from photographs (^8, pi. 12, p. 9Jt) as his Koombana.
Old seed of the Koombana obtained from Mr. Wray many years after the intro-
duction of his sorgos proved identical with seed of the variety then being grown
as Liberian.
Hedges (75), who witnessed the unpacking of Wray's introductions, believed
that Wray's Boomvwana variety was the one later called Liberian, but this can
hardly be true, in view of the description of Boomvwana and of the facts noted
above. By 1888 samples of the variety generally known as " Red Liberian " were
received under the names of Sumac, Club Head, Red Top, and others {162,
pp. 112, 117).
Distribution.—Has largest total acreage of any sorgo and is the most impor-
tant sorgo variety in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Kentucky, and Tennessee ;
also grown in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi,
Missouri, Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas, Arkansas, Arizona, and California
(fig. 13).
S^nmmn.—The name Red Top is still in common use for the Sumac variety
Club Head.
44. EARLY SUMAC SORGO
Description.—An early selection from Sumac which differs from the parent
variety in the following characters: Plants 10 to 15 days earlier (107 days, aver-
age of 12 crop years), 2 to 12 inches shorter (64 inches, average of la crop
years) ; stems more slender; branches more freely; often not so leafy; panicles
usually smaller. Otherwise plant, panicle, and kernel characters are like those
of Sumac. . r..
History.—Deyeloped by selection at the Fort Hays Branch Experiment Sta-
tion, Hays, Kans., by R. E. Getty, who obtained the original seed in 1916 from
H. W. Joy, a farmer. The first general distribution of this variety was made
by the station to farmers in 1922.
DistrihuMon.—Grown commercially in central and western Kansas.
45. CHINESE AMBER SORGO
Desoription.—Fiants early (mode 100 days), tall (mode 74 inches) ; stems mid-
slender, juicy, sweet; tillers freely; branches mid-freely; leaves few (mode 9) ;
midribs cloudy ; leaf sheaths overlapping none to slightly ; panicles erect, effuse,
conoid to various shapes; rachis 80 to 100 percent of head length: rachis
branches mid-long to long, lightly fruited, spreading and usually drooping;
glumes thinly pubescent or glabrous at maturity, black, indurate, elliptic, apices
usually acute but sometimes obtuse; lemmas awned; stigmas pale yellow;
kernels little exposed in angles but usually extending to or slightly beyond
apices of glumes, mid-size, brown, ellipsoid or approaching ellipsoid, endosperm
waxy, nucellar layer present ; pedicellate spikelets straw-colored or sometimes
brown or black near base, mid-size, largely deciduous and not conspicuous at
maturity ; coleoptiles red. Panicles, spikelets, and kernels are shown in plate 36.
One of the Black Amber group differing little from Minnesota Amber except
in size of panicle and shape of glumes. The panicle is small, often but little
more than one-half as large as that of the Minnesota Amber, and the panicle
branches are somewhat shorter. The glumes are shiny black, but usually have
straw-colored apices; they are broader and more gibbous than those of Minne-
sota Amber, and the kernels are plumper and usually darker brown where ex-
posed. The presence of short geniculate awns is apparent on the immature
panicle, but these awns are so deciduous that the spikelets often appear unawned
when a mature panicle is casually examined.
History.—The Black Amber sorgos now being grown in the United States were
obtained from introductions from China. This group appears to be the only
true sorgo grown in China, and its cultivation in that country, according to
Collins (49), was confined to small areas, aggregating about 20 acres annually,
on the island of Tsungming at the mouth of the Yangtze River. The stalks
were sold on the Shanghai market for chewing and sucking the sweet juice.
Collins (49, pp. 86-87) indicates that the most generally accepted name for

22613-
66 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 5 0 6, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE

the sweet-stemmed sorghum in China is loo-tsoh, distinguishing it from kau

leang, the nonsaccharine grain sorghum, and kain-so, the true sugarcane
(Saccharum offvoinarimi L.). The name loo-tsoh is said to have been derived
from Se-tsoh, the ancient name for Szechwan, the Province where this sorgo
was first produced.
Seed first reached the United States by way of France. Quoting from
Collins (49, p. 89 ) : " In the year 1851, Count de Montigny, at that time French
Consul at Shanghai, forwarded at the request of his Government, to the Geo-
graphical Society of Paris, a collection of such plants, seeds, and cuttings,
found in this part of China as he thought might grow in Europe. Among this
collection was a package of Sorgo seeds."
The seeds were sent to M. Robert, director of the Marine Gardens at Toulon,
and within a few years considerable quantities of seed were available for dis-
tribution, chiefly through the efforts of M. Vilmorin of the firm Vilmorin,
Andrieux & Co. The first importation of the seeds of this sorgo into the
United States appears to have been in 1853 by William R. Prince, a nursery-
man of Flushing, Long Island, N. Y. {101, p. 233). In 1854 a few pounds were
sold to the public, and a much larger quantity was distributed the following
year. This account agrees with that of Collier (-^8, p. 64) and others except
that in some cases the date of its introduction into France is given as 1850
instead of 1851.
Other importations of this sorgo seed were made subsequent to 1853. Browne
(39) brought back some seeds from France in 1854, and in the spring of 1857
the Patent Office distributed about 275 bushels of the seed, 175 bushels of
which was obtained in the United States and the remainder imported from
France.
The American Agriculturist (New York) had a great deal to do with the
successful introduction of this sorgo into the United States. From the first the
publishers of this farm paper had shown a deep interest in this crop. In 1856
they obtained some seed of the *' new Chinese sugarcane " from Vilmorin,
Andrieux & Co., Paris, France, and grew a small plot of it. In 1857 this journal
distributed small parcels of seeds to 31,000 subscribers and in addition saved
enough seed to grow 34,500 pounds in Georgia that year. About 1,600 pounds of
seed was imported from France in 1857 and was distributed along with seed
grown by the American Agriculturist and others in the United States (i, 6,
8, 14, IS).
According to Le Duc (101, p. 233) the name Early Amber was applied to a
selection from the Chinese sorgo made by E. Y. Teas, of Dunreith, Ind. He
quotes Mr. Teas as follows :
"In a visit to Europe 18 years ago [1859], in search of seed and plants, I
bought of Vilmorin, Andrieux & Co., seedsmen in Paris, a few pounds of Chinese
cane-seed, asking them for the best variety. This seed was given to a friend
to plant who was an experienced grower and manufacturer of sorghum.
" In this lot of cane one stalk was found of a different habit from the rest,
that ripened its seed before the rest of the plot was fully in bloom. Seed of this
stalk was saved, and the next year planted separate to prevent admixture.
This crop ripened much sooner than any other cane known to me, and the sirup
was superior in color and taste to any other produced in the neighborhood. From
its earliness and fair color I named it ' Early Amber ', and under this name sent
packages to customers in nearly every State and Territory in the Union, espe-
cially to Minnesota and the Western and Southern States."
Distribution.—Rarely found growing on any considerable acreage in pure cul-
tures. This type found intermixed with other varieties wherever the Black
Ambers are grown.
Synonym.—Early Amber.
46. MINNESOTA AMBER SORGO

Description.—Plants early (96 days, average of 20 crop years), tall (72 inches,
average of 20 crop years) ; stems mid-slender to mid-stout, juicy, sweet; tillers
freely; branches mid-freely; leaves few (mode 9) ; midribs cloudy; leaf sheaths
overlapping none to little ; panicles midsize to large, erect, effuse, conoid to ellip-
soid or with branches often hanging to one side; rachis deeply furrowed, 70 to
100 percent of head length, but usually continuous; rachis branches mid-long to
long and spreading ; glumes usually glabrous or pubescent on upper third only,
black or brownish black, giving the head a shiny black appearance, indurate,
elliptic or appToaching elliptic, apices acute or sometimes obtuse ; lemmas both
 COMMON SOEGHUM VARIETIES 67
awned and awnless, strains of variety not pure for this character ; stigmas pale
yellow; kernels only slightly exposed in angle of glumes and usually not extend-
ing to apices of glumes, mid-size, reddish brown where exposed and otherwise
bufC, usually ellipsoid, endosperm starchy, corneous layer mid-thick to thick,
nucellar layer present; pedicellate spikelets small and usually inconspicuous,
often dark brown and almost entirely deciduous at maturity ; coleoptiles red. A
panicle, spikelets, and kernels are shown in plate 37.
Minnesota Amber is one of a large group of black-glumed sorgos which differ
from it only in minor characters, such as the presence of awns, size and density
of the panicle, and earliness.
History.—Seed purchased in Minnesota and distributed as Minnesota Early
Amber or Minnesota Amber by Seth H. Kenney, Waterville, Waseca County,
Minn.^ who selected it from Early Amber about 1869 (168).
Distribution.—The most, common variety in Minnesota, South Dakota, Ne-
braska, Kansas, and Colorado; grown to a less extent in Iowa, Missouri, Illinois,
Indiana, Ohio, and other States (fig. 14).
Synonyms.—Black Amber, Early Amber, Early Black Amber, Minnesota Early
Amber.

FIGURE 14.—Distribution of Black Amber sorgo (Chinese Amber, Minnesota Amber,

Dakota Amber) in the United States in 1924. Each dot represents 500 acres. Esti-
mated area, 644,400 acres.

47. WACONIA AMBER SORGO

Description.—Waconia Amber is practically identical with Minnesota Amber
in gross vegetative characters.
History.—Developed by the Waconia Sorghum Mills, Inc., Waconia, Minn.
This firm describes the origin of this variety as follows {161) :
About 5 years ago (1919) it was decided that some improvement was pos-
sible in the Minnesota Amber sorghum that had been grown at Waconia for
a great many years. Therefore, some selection work was started with the
object of improving the strain along four principal lines—sugar content of the
juice, tonnage, earliness, and resistance to head smut. After 5 years of work
there has now been selected a strain called the " Waconia Amber " that is con-
siderably superior in all of these respects to the original Minnesota Amber.
Distribution.—Locally in Minnesota and Iowa.
48. DAKOTA AMBER SORGO
Description.—Plants very early (87 days, average of 6 crop years), mid-tall
(62 inches, average of 6 crop years) ; stems mid-slender, juicy, sweet; tillers
freely; branches mid-freely; leaves few (mode 8) ; midribs cloudy; leaf sheaths
68 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 50 6, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE

overlapping none to slightly ; panicles small, erect, mid-compact to effuse, ellip-

soid to fusiform ; rachis deeply furrowed, 85 to 100 percent of head length but
usually continuous; rachis branches mid-long and very slightly spreading, giv-
ing the heads a somewhat denser appearance than the Minnesota Amber heads ;
glumes shiny black except light-brown margins particularly at the apices,
glabrous except for thin pubescence near apices, indurate, elliptic, apices acute
or rarely obtuse ; lemmas not awned ; kernels but little exposed in angle of
glumes and rarely extending to or beyond the apices, mid-sized, plump, reddish
brown where exposed and otherwise buff, broadly ovoid or approaching globose,
endosperm starchy, corneous layer mid-thick to thick, nucellar layer present;
pedicellate spikelets small, light brown, deciduous at maturity. A panicle,
spikelets, and kernels are shown in plate 38.
Distinguished from Minnesota and other Black Ambers by its shorter, stiffly
upright stalks, early maturity, and plumper, more nearly spheroid seeds.
History.—A short early strain of Minnesota Amber S. D. no. 341. The latter
originated as a selection made by W. A. Wheeler at the Highmore (S. Dak.)
substation in 1903. Selection was continued at the Highmore substation and
later at the Belle Fourche Field Station, Newell, S. Dak. An early dwarf
strain (designated A. D. I. no. 341-10-4) was isolated and purified by A. C.
Dillman at Newell, who named
it Dakota Amber. It was first
distributed to farmers about
1915 (60).
P Distribution.—Grown commer-
cially in South Dakota and to a
less extent in North Dakota,
eastern Montana, Wyoming, Colo-
rado, and northern Nebraska.
S y n onyms .—Early Amber,
Black Amber.
49. RED AMBER SORGO
Description.—Plants early (96
days, average of 37 crop years),
mid-tall to tall (71 inches, aver-
age of 37 crop years) ; stems mid-
FIGURE 15—Distribution of Red Amber sorgo in slender to mid-stout, juicy, sweet ;
the United States in 1924. Each dot represents tillers freely ; branches mid-
500 acres. Estimated area, 160,300 acres.
f reely ; mid-leafy (mode 12) ;
midribs cloudy ; leaf sheaths
overlapping none to slightly ; panicle mid-size to large, erect, effuse, ellipsoid or
variable in shape ; rachis 60 to lOO and averaging about 90 percent of head length ;
rachis branches long ; glumes usually glabrous and shiny but sometimes thinly
pubescent, deep or dark red, sometimes reddish brown near apices, tightly ap-
pressed, about as long as the kernel, somewhat gibbous, coriaceous or indurate,
elliptic, apices acute, seldom obtuse ; lemmas, both awned and awnless strains in-
cluded ; stigmas pale yellow ; kernels slightly exposed in the angles of the glumes,
mid-size, uniformly light reddish brown, usually ellipsoid, endosperm starchy,
corneous layer mid-thick, nucellar layer present ; pedicellate spikelets often red-
dish brown but usually so deciduous that they are almost entirely absent at
maturity ; coleoptiles red. A panicle, spikelets, and kernels are shown in plate 39.
The deep-red color of the large or mid-size panicle gives to a field of Bed
Amber at maturity a distinctly red appearance.
History.—Records indicate that Red Amber sorgo was selected by the United
States Department of Agriculture from sorghum grown from seed obtained
in 1903 under the name of " Early Orange sugar cane " from the manager of the
Wagga Experiment Farm, Bomen, New South Wales, Australia. The origin of
the variety cannot be definitely determined, but most of the sorghums grown
in Australia have been introduced from the United States or South Africa.
The progenitor of Red Amber may have been a variety introduced by Wray from
South Africa known as Shalgoova. Pech (111, p. 306) calls this variety "Red
Imphee" and describes the glumes as "long as the seed, reddish yellow or
cherry color." His illustration of the panicle with rather long, drooping seed
branches also agrees with Red Amber. Wray's own description (171, pp. 208-
$09), indicating a growing season of about 105 days and emphasizing the beauty
of the heads, might well be applied to Red Amber. If it did originate from
Technical Bulletin 506, U. S. Department of Agriculture PLATE 39

RED AMBER SORGO.

Panicle, scale indicates size in inches; spikelets and kernels in three positions, X 3.
Technical Bulletin 506, U. S. Department of Agriculture PLATE 40

ORANGE SORGO.
Panicle, scale indicates size in inches; spikelets and kernels in three positions, X '¿.
Technical Bulletin 506, U S. Department of Agriculture PLATE 41

KANSAS ORANGE SORGO.

Panicle, scale indicates size in inches; spikelets and kernels in three positions ,X 3.
Tecíinical Bulletin 506, U. S. Department of Agriculture PLATE 42

COLMAN SORGO.
Panicle, scale indicates size in inches; spikelets and kernels in three positions, X 3.
 COMMON SOEGHTJM VABIETIES 69
Shalgoova, then the seed of this South African variety must have been sent
directly to Australia or introduced from the United States, to be returned later.
An unidentified variety of sorghum of unknown origin called " Red Amber "
was grown in experiments at Abilene, Tex., in 1899 (38).
DistriMtion.—Red Amber sorgo has been distributed in Kansas and other
States but is not widely grown except in Kansas (fig. 15). It is grown also in
Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mex-
ico, and to some extent in North Carolina, South Carolina, Mississippi, Ken-
tucky, Arizona, and California.
50. ORANGE SORGO

Desüription.—Plants midseason (113 days, average of 16 crop years), mid-

tall to tall (68 inches, average of 19 crop years) ; stems mid-slender to mid-
stout, but stouter than those of Amber, juicy, sweet; tillers freely; branches
mid-freely; mid-leafy (mode 12); midribs cloudy; leaf sheaths overlapping
moderately; panicles mid-size to small, erect, mid-compact, approaching cylin-
droid but sometimes ellipsoid; rachis 50 to 1(X) percent of head length; rachis
branches mid-long, loosely appressed; glumes usually pubescent but some-
times glabrous and shiny, color varying often in the same head from straw
color through reddish brown
(Ridgway's claret brown ^^) to
black on the second glume, first
glume usually lighter, second
glume sometimes indurate but
first usually chartaceous, ovate
to elliptic, veins prominent,
apices generally acute, rarely ob-
tuse ; lemmas not awned ; stigmas
yellow ; kernels much exposed in
most strains but less than in
Blackhull kafir or Sumac sorgo,
usually extending to apices of
glumes and in some strains con-
siderably beyond, mid-size, deep
reddish brown where exposed be-
tween the apices of the glumes,
lighter where not exposed, el-
lipsoid to ovoid, endosperm i'lGUKE 1Ö.—Distribution of Orange soxgo in the
starchy, corneous layer mid-thick, United States in 1924. Each dot represents
500 acres. Estimated area, 392,500 acres.
nucellar layer present; pedicel-
late spikelets small to mid-size,
dilute reddish brown, rather persistent ; coleoptiles green or in some strains light
red. The combination of colors in the glumes, sterile spikelets, and kernels is
reddish brown, thus giving rise to the variety name. A panicle, spikelets, and
kernels are shown in plate 40.
The gross color effect of dull orange, rather infrequent in the panicles of
sorgo, together with the distinct but vacant node in the peduncle l^/^ or 2
inches below the first whorl of rachis branches, are the chief distinguishing
features of the true Orange.
History.—The history of this variety is obscure. Apparently it is one or is
derived from some of Leonard Wray's introductions from Natal. " Early
Orange" was mentioned by the Commissioner of Agriculture (47, p. 38).
Hedges (75) says "it is not at all like any variety mentioned in Wray's
descriptive catalogue" and suggested that it was a hybrid between the Oom-
seeana and Neeazana varieties. Collier (^8, p. 73) claimed that Neeazana
bore a close resemblance to Orange, and Ball (26, p. 34) stated that Orange
was derived from the Neeazana variety. During the sixties the Neeazana
variety was described by Pech (Illy p. 305) and others (46, 111, 75) as having
white seeds and was frequently called White Imphee.
The white or nearly white color of seeds of Neeazana suggests to the
writers that it may have been more nearly like the Sourless or "African millet "
than the Orange. These varieties are quite similar to Orange in most char-
acters except seed and glume colors, therefore it is quite possible that the
21 RiDGWAY, R. See footnote 13.
70 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 5 0 6, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE

Orange appeared as a variant or rogue with brown seed and darker-colored

glumes in the " white-seeded " Neeazana.
Distribution.—One of the important sorgos in North Carolina, South Caro-
lina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska,
Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Texas. While the acreage of
Orange is less than that of Sumac, this variety is probably more widely
distributed than any other group of sorgos except the Black Ambers (fig. 16).
Synonym.—Early Orange.
51. KANSAS ORANGE SORGO
Description.—Plants midseason to late, tall (78 inches, average of 15 crop
years) ; stems mid-stout, juicy, sweet; tillers freely; branches mid-freely; leafy
(mode 14) ; midribs cloudy; leaf sheaths overlapping slightly to moderately;
panicles erect, mid-compact, cylindroid to ellipsoid, tending to be clávate ; rachis
60 to 100 and usually about 90 percent of head length ; rachis branches mid-long,
loosely appressed; glumes thinly pubescent, reddish brown in one strain and
black in another, indurate, elliptic, apices acute to acuminate; lemmas not
awned; stigmas yellow; kernels somewhat exposed in angles and extending to
or beyond apices of glumes, mid-size, reddish brown with dark spots and lighter
where unexposed, ellipsoid, endosperm starchy, corneous layer mid-thick, nucel-
lar layer present ; pedicellate spikelets rather persistent and conspicuous at
maturity ; coleoptiles slightly red. A panicle, spike-
lets, and kernels are shown in plate 41.
In growth habits Kansas Orange is similar to
Planter and Sourless, but it differs from them in
panicle characters. The differences between it and
the parent variety (Orange) have been indicated in

"TJ^ the description above. In general it is a larger,

coarser, later-maturing strain of Orange.
History.—The history of this variety is undeter-
mined. It was not among the varietiesi grown in the
FiOTRE 17.-—Distribution of experiments of the United States Department of Agri-
thT^ United'^ltllel'' S culture in 1880 (^7, p. S8), but was grown the foUow-
1924. Each dot repre- ing year (48, p. 243). According to G. H. Failyer,
sents 500 acres Esti- former chemist of the Kansas Agricultural Experi-
mate(iarea,45,5uuacies. ^^^^^ Station, the Kansas Orange variety was first
grown at the Kansas station in 1883.. Mr. Failyer
writes : ^^ "In 1883 I procured some sorghum seed from I. A. Hedges, of St. Louis,
Mo. * * * Among the four sorts of sorghum seed * * * ^^s one called
Kansas Orange."
Selection and purification of this and other varieties was carried on at the
Kansas station. Kansas Orange as now distributed by the Kansas station is
regarded as an improved variety. Laude and Sumner {100) say: "This variety
is an improved selection from Orange made by the Kansas State Agricultural
College at Manhattan."
Distribution.—Grown commercially in Kansas, chiefiy in the eastern half of
the State, and now found on small acreages in the adjacent States, Missouri,
Oklahoma, and Arkansas (fig. 17).
52. COLMAN SORGO
Description.—Plants midseason (109 days, average of 12 crop years), tall
(73 inches, average of 18 crop years), stems mid-stout, juicy, sweet ; tillers freely ;
branches sparsely; leafy (12 to 15) ; midribs cloudy; leaf sheaths overlapping
slightly to moderately ; panicles mid-size, erect, mid-compact, cylindroid, or
sometimes ellipsoid ; rachis 60 to 100 percent of head length, but usually dis-
continuous ; rachis branches mid-long to short and heavily fruited ; glumes
appressed, thinly pubescent to glabrous, intense dark red, indurate, veins hardly
perceptible, elliptic, apices acute ; lemmas not awned ; stigmas pale yellow ;
kernels much exposed, especially in angles of glumes and usually extending
slightly beyond apices of glumes, mid-size, plump, mostly light buff but reddish
brown where exposed, ellipsoid to obovoid, endosperm starchy, corneous layer
mid-thick, nucellar layer present; pedicellate spikelets mid-size, mostly straw-
colored, fairly persistent at maturity; coleoptiles green or in some strains
slightly red. A panicle, spikelets, and kernels are shown in plate 42.
22 Personal letter Feb. 18, 1932.
 COMMON SORGHUM VARIETIES 71
Often confused with Orange, but quite unlike the latter in color of the glumes.
The glume color of Colman gives rise to the name " Red Orange " and is similar
to that of Red Amber, but Colman has a stouter, more erect stem, a more
compact upright panicle, relatively shorter glumes, lighter-colored kernels (the
lighter color of the kernel is especially noticeable just before maturity), and
more persistent pedicellate spikelets than Red Amber.
History.—Developed by A. A. Den-
ton, United States Department of
Agriculture, at the sugar sorghum ex-
I)eriment station at Sterling, Kans.,
as the result of a selection from a
natural hybrid found in 1887, and
believed to be a cross between the
Kansas Orange and Early Amber va-
rieties {164, PP' 62, 63). Subsequent
selection and purification resulted in
the new variety, which was named
Colman in honor of Norman J. Col-
man, Commissioner of Agriculture.
It was especially promising as a sirup
variety, one cane showing by analysis
20.72 percent of sugar, "the highest
FIGURE 18.—Distribution or Culmau sorgo
sorghum analysis ever recorded." in the United States in 1924. Each dot
Dis tridution.—Considerable acreage represents 500 acres. Estimated area,
in Arkansas, and grown in North 67,900 acres.
Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia,
Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, and
Texas (fig. 18).
Synonyms.—Honey Drip, Sugar Drip, Red Orange.
53. HONEY SORGO
Description.—Plants late (124 days, average of 18 crop years), very tall (87
Inches, average of 15 crop years) ; stems stout, tapering toward the top, juicy,
sweet; tillers freely; branches mid-freely; leafy (mode 16) ; midribs cloudy;
leaf sheaths over-
lapping slightly ;
panicle large, erect,
very effuse, conoid
and variable in
shape ; rachis 85 to
100 percent of head
length, but usually
continuous ; rachis
branches long,
spreading, lower
branches drooping,
glumes mostly gla-
brous, veins appar-
ent only near apex,
brownish red (Ridg-
way's garnet brown
to morocco red^^),
FIGURE 19.—Distribution of Honey sorgo in the United States coriaceous to indu-
in 1924. Each dot represents 500 acres. Estimated area,
172,800 acres. rate, elliptic, rather
tightly appressed,
apices acute to ob-
tuse ; lemmas awned but awns largely deciduous ; stigmas yellow ; kernels often
not exposed in angles and usually shorter than the glumes, mid-size, rather uni-
formly reddish brown but darker where exposed, ellipsoid or sometimes ovoid or
obovoid, endosperm starchy, corneous layer mid-thick to thick, nucellar layer
present ; pedicellate spikelets light reddish brown, small to mid-size and largely
deciduous at maturity; coleoptiles red. A panicle, spikelets, and kernels are
shown in plate 43.
Compared with Red Amber, Honey is later in maturity, has stouter and
more erect stalks, more effuse and spreading panicles with longer rachis

23 RiDGWAY, R. See footnote 13.

72 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 5 0 6, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE

branches and a more conical shape, lighter colored glumes (more of the yellow
quality in the red), and it is more sparsely seeded. The spikelets of Honey
are somewhat deciduous shortly after maturity.
History.—The origin cannot be definitely determined. It probably traces back
to one of the original importations from Natal, South Africa. According to
Hedges (75), of St. Louis, Mo., who witnessed the unpacking of the sorghum
heads by Mr. Wray, the variety Vimbischuapa was identical with the sorghum
later known as Honduras. Early descriptions and illustrations of Honduras
sorgo indicate its identity with Honey.
This variety was being grown under the name " Honey Cane " by the United
States Department of Agriculture for a determination of its value as a possible
source of sugar as early as 1880, according to Collier {Jft, p. 38). Seed for
this test was obtained from J. H. Clark, Pleasant Hill, La. Plate 10 in Collier's
report plainly identifies the variety Honduras as Honey, also known then as
Sprangle Top and Mastodon.
A report on seed sources indicates that this variety was being grown in
Alabama, South Carolina, and Texas. It is reasonable to suppose that it
spread through these States from the original plantings of Wray's varieties by
ex-Governor Hammond of South Carolina and Richard Peters of Atlanta, Ga.
Distribution.—Grown to a considerable extent for sirup and silage produc-
tion in Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas,
New Mexico, and to some extent in North Carolina, South Carolina, Mississippi,
Kentucky, Arizona, and California (fig. 19).
&pnonyms.—Japanese Cane, Japanese Seeded Ribbon Cane, Japanese Honey
Drip, Sprangle Top.
54. SOURLESS SORGO
Description.—Plants midseason (113 days, average of 13 crop years), mid-
tall to tall (71 inches, average of 14 crop years) ; stems mid-stout, juicy,
sweet; tillers freely; branches freely; leafy (mode 14) ; midribs cloudy; leaf
sheaths overlapping moderately ; panicles erect, mid-compact, ellipsoid to cylin-
droid or variable in shape; rachis 60 to 100 percent of head length with
average about 90 percent; rachis branches mid-long, heavily fruited; glumes
thinly pubescent ; straw-colored but often tinged with reddish brown, spread-
ing slightly, chartaceous, ovate, apices
acute to acuminate ; lemmas not
awned ; stigmas creamy white ; ker-
nels much exposed in the angles and
extending beyond the apices of the
glumes, light buff to light brown,
many with conspicuous spots of dense
brown, small to mid-size, usually el-
lipsoid, hilum very flat, endosperm
starchy, corneous layer thin to mid-
thick, nucellar layer present; pedicel-
late spikelets mid-size, straw-colored,
fairly persistent; coleoptiles green.
A panicle, spikelets, and kernels are
shown in plate 44.
In plant characters Sourless most
FIGURE 20.—Distribution of Sourless sorgo resembles Orange, but the cream- or
in the united States in 1924. Bach dot buff-colored kernels and straw-colored
represents 500 acres. Estimated area, glumes have given rise to the name
118,900 acres.
"White Orange" and readily distin-
guished it from the other varieties.
The seeds are not as pure white as those of White African or Atlas sorgos.
History.—Probably a descendant from the Neeazana variety introduced by
Leonard Wray from Natal. Although the Neeazana variety has been fre-
quently regarded as the progenitor of Orange, it was described as having
wählte seeds by Hedges (75) and Pech (111, p. 805), and a common synonym
of Neeazana was " White Imphee."
During the early part of the twentieth century the Sourless variety was being
grown in the vicinity of Fort Scott, Kans., where it probably had been intro-
duced when the sorghum-sugar experiments of the Division of Chemistry,
United States Department of Agriculture, were being conducted there. Later
C. S. Hall, a cattleman, obtained seed and grew considerable quantities of
Technical Bulletin 506. U. S. Department of Agriculture PLATE 43

HONEY SORGO.
Panicle, scale indicates size in inches; spikelets and Iternels in three positions, X 3.
Technical Bulletin 506, U. S. Department of Agriculture PLATE 44

SOURUESS SORGO.
Panicle, scale indicates size in inches; spikelets and kernels in three positions, X 3.
Technical Bulletin 506, U. S. Department of Agriculture PLATE 45

SAPLING SORGO.
PaEicIe, scale indicates size in inches; spikelets and kernels in three positions, X 3.
Technical Bulletin 506, U. S. Department of Agriculture PLATE 46

PLANTER SORGO.
Panicle, scale indicates size in inches; spikelets and kernels in three positions, X 3.
Technical Bulletin 506, U, S, Department of Agriculture PLATE 47

à^4 GOOSENECK SORGO.

AAB

Panicle, scale indicates size in inches; spikelets and kernels in three positions, X 3.
Technical Bulletin 506, U. S. Department of Agriculture PLATE 48

UEOTI SORGO.

Panicle, sçslç indicates size in inches; spikelets and kernels in tliree positions, X 3.
Technical Bulletin 506. U. S. Department of Agriculture PLATE 49

FOLGER SORGO.
Panicle, scale iudicates size in inches; spikelets and kernels in three positions, X 3.
Technical Bulletin 506, U. S. Department of Agriculture PLATE 50

^ i
^*< 1
uAiEaía
í
1
1^^ ?*

1
W 1 :^ '
^ _

WHITE AFRICAN SORGO.

Panicle, scale indicates sixe in inches; spikelets and kernels in three positions, X 3.
 COMMON" SOKGHUM VARIETIES

Sourless sorgo at Eureka, Kans., where the variety was sometimes known as
Hall's sorghum. Mr. Hall shipped some of his seed to Canadian, Tex., and
the Sourless variety so named first came to the attention of the Department
of Agriculture in 1905, when Robert Moody & Son were growing 1,500 acres
of it near Canadian. They claimed that the fodder cut at any stage would
not sour during the winter and would retain its juice and be fresh and sweet
until spring, whereas the ordinary sorghum would usually be too sour for
feeding after February 1. , ^ ^, i t, „ /. -4. ^c
Distril)ution.—There is a large acreage m Kansas and Oklahoma, and it is
grown to some extent in South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Ten-
nessee, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, and
Arkansas (fig. 20).
Smonyms.—AfricsLn Millet, White Orange.
55. SAPLING SORGO
Description.—Fiants midseason to late, very tall (88 inches, average of 9 crop
years) • stems mid-stout, juicy, sweet; tillers freely; branches mid-freely; leafy
(12 to Í5) ; midribs cloudy ; leaf sheaths overlapping moderately; panicles ereet,
mid-compact, cylindroid; rachis 75 to lOO and averaging about 85 percent of
head length ; rachis branches mid-long to short and usually appressed ; glumes
small, thinly pubescent, black, indurate but somewhat chartaceous at the tip,
ovate or ovate-elliptic, apices acute;
lemmas not awned; stigmas creamy
white ; kernels much exposed and ex-
tending considerably beyond apices of
glumes, small to mid-size, reddish
brown, ellipsoid, endosperm starchy,
corneous layer mid-thick, nucellar
layer present ; pedicellate spikelets
small and inconspicuous, usually straw
colored but sometimes yellowish gray
with purple edges, partly deciduous
at maturity; coleoptiles red. A pan-
icle, spikelets, and kernels are shown
in plate 45.
The tall, rather slender stems with
the long, narrow, cylindrical panicle,
heavily fruited with plump but small FIGURE 21.—Distribution of Sapling (Sac-
kernels strikingly exposed in the caline) sorgo in the United States in 1924.
Each dot represents 500 acres. Esti-
angles and beyond the apices of the mated area, 35,200 acres.
black glumes, readily distinguish this
from most other varieties.
History—The origin is undetermined. It probably arose from one of Leonard
Wray's introductions from Natal. As now recognized, it apparently was hrst
grown under the name Link's Hybrid. The Link Hybrid variety is the progeny
of a head selected from a field of Honey (Honduras) sorgo by Ephraim Link,
Greeneville, Tenn., in 1878. Collier (48, PP^ 71-72) quotes a letter from Link,
"Also 4 years ago I found a head—a clear sprout in the Honduras—entirely
different in appearance from it, propagated it, and found its yield and richness
in juice second to no other, and its sirup freer from the sorghum flavor than
any I ever made. I sent General Le Duc [United States Commissioner of Agri-
culture] a specimen of the sirup and seed, and he ordered all the seed I had,
about 14 bushels. In his report of the analysis of varieties he calls it Link s
Hybrid.' It grows to good size, stands well, ripens before the Honduras, and
I predict for it a high place among varieties."
This seed obtained by the United States Department of Agriculture was sown
in 1880. In 1904 a variety under the name Sapling or Foxtail was secured by
the Department of Agriculture from J. E. Randel, of Chillicothe, Tex,, who in
turn had obtained it from North Carolina. Specimens of Link Hybrid sorgo
which proved to be identical with Sapling were obtained from Robert Link,
Greeneville, Tenn., a son of Ephraim Link, in 1907.
In 1919 a variety was obtained from Australia under the name Saccalme,
which apparently originated as a selection of Sapling, being quite similar to it
in all important characteristics.
74 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 5 0 6, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE

Distribution.—Grown in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama,

Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma under
various local names, but rarely is it called Sapling (fig. 21).
^2/^0^2^«.—Saccaline (Australia), Link Hybrid, and Straightneck. The last
name is applied to a Sapling having red glumes but otherwise characteristic.

56. PLANTER SORGO

Description.—Plants midseason, tall; stems mid-stout, juicy, sweet; tillers
freely; branches mid-freely; mid-leafy (mode 13) ; midribs cloudy; leaf sheaths
overlapping moderately ; panicles erect, mid-compact or tending toward effuse,
variable in shape, ellipsoid to obconoid ; rachis 50 to 60 percent of the head
length; rachis branches mid-long to long, frequently drooping to one side;
glumes spreading widely, usually pubescent, straw-colored to light brown or
sometimes black, rather chartaceous, ovate,
apices acute to acuminate ; lemmas not
awned ; stigmas very pale yellow ; kernels
much exposed in the angles and extending
beyond the apices of the glumes, mid-size,
buff to light brown, often nearly white where
unexposed, darkest where exposed, the oval
surrounding the hilum and area above it
usually outlined clearly, ellipsoid to globose,
endosperm starchy, corneous layer mid-thick,
nucellar layer present; pedicellate spikelets
large, conspicuous, mostly straw-colored,
fairly persistent at maturity ; coleoptiles red.
A panicle, spikelets, and kernels are shown
in plate 46.
Planter sorgo is much like Sourless and
FIGURE 22.—Distribution of Planter Orange, but is readily distinguishable from
sorgo in the United States in 1924. both by the panicle characters. The gross
Each dot represents 500 acres. color impression of the Planter panicle is a
Estimated area, 17,800 acres.
rather uniform combination of light brown
and dark, while in Sourless the color
impression is light buff and in Orange it is reddish-brown or orange color.
History.—The history of Planter (formerly known as Planter's Friend) can-
not be fully determined. Apparently, it is not one of Leonard Wray's intro-
ductions from Natal. The Madras Government of India obtained seed of Black
Amber (Chinese) sorgo from the United States and "Imphee" from the Cape
of Good Hope in Africa in 1858. The Planter's Friend variety was grown at
the Government Experiment Farm at Sydapet, Madras, India, in 1875 (Í57,
p. 288), Planter's Friend has been grown in Australia for many years and
was obtained from there by the United States Department of Agriculture in
1888 (165, p. 90) and again in 1904. It very likely came to India and Australia
from South Africa, as along with the Sourless and Orange it bears a close
resemblance to Wray's Neeazana.
Distribution.—Grown to a limited extent only in North Carolina, South Caro-
lina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, Arkansas,
and Texas (fig. 22).
Synonym.—Planter's Friend.
57. GOOSENECK SORGO
Description.—Plants very late, very tall; stems stout, juicy, sweet; tillers
freely; branches mid-freely; leafy (mode 15); midribs cloudy; leaf sheaths
overlapping moderately; panicles mid-size, erect, inclined or recurved, mid-
compact, obovoid; rachis 50 to 100 percent of head length but usually dis-
continuous; rachis branches mid-long, longest in upper half and somewhat
drooping near apex ; glumes gibbous, usually pubescent on margins, at base and
near apex, but glabrous and shiny on the hump, black but usually with reddish
brown chartaceous tips, indurate to coriaceous, elliptic to obovate, apices some-
times acute but generally obtuse or rounded ; lemmas with short readily decid-
uous awns; stigmas pale yellow; kernels slightly exposed and extending to or
not quite to apices of glumes, small to mid-size, uniformly dark reddish brown,
plump, ellipsoid or approaching globose, endosperm usually waxy, but in some
strains starchy, nucellar layer present, seed coat usually checked; pedicellate
spikelets mid-size, pink or light reddish brown, rather conspicuous while at-
 COMMON SORGHUM VARIETIES 75

tached but mostly deciduous at maturity ; coleoptiles red. A panicle, spikelets.

and kernels are shown in plate 47. .^ . ,i ^ ^
The principal distin.2:uishing features of Gooseneck sor^jo are the tall, stout
stem, the long season of growth, and the often recurved pedujncle.
History.—Clsiimeá by Leonard Wray as one of his introductions from Natal
(48, p. 68). This is probably true, since some of his varieties were said to
have pendent heads. Gooseneck early became a popular sorghum in the South
and had been grown near Brookhaven, Miss., several years previous to l^^»-
It was believed to have been grown near Eagletown, N. C, previous to 1875.
Gooseneck was listed among the varieties grown in the experiments of the
United States Department of Agriculture in 1880 (47, p. 38, pi. 12).
In 1908 the Gooseneck variety began to be widely exploited under the name
" Texas Seeded Ribbon Cane " by A. W. Short, Dodd City, Tex., who reported
having obtained the seed under the latter name from W. J. Maltry, Admiral,
Tex., in 1895. ^ . ,, ^
Distribution.—Grown ,in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama,
Mississippi, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Texas.
Synonym.—Texas Seeded Ribbon Cane.
58. LEOTI SORGO
Description.—VldiXit^ early to midseason (104 days, average of 10 crop years),
mid-tall to tall (average 68 inches) ; stems mid-slender to mid-stout, juicy,
sweet; tillers freely; branches sparsely to mid-freely; mid-leafy (mode 12) ; mid-
ribs cloudy ; leaf sheaths overlapping slightly ; panicles erect, mid-compact, but
tending toward effuse, cvlindroid or obconoid and various shapes ; rachis 50 to
80 percent of head length ; rachis branches mid-long to long, sometimes droop-
ing ; glumes gibbous, usually glabrous except near apex and at the base, dull
yellowish red (somewhat like the burnt sienna of Ridgway "), with straw tips,
coriaceous to indurate, obovate, the first glume usually constricted near the
base, apices usually obtuse or rounded, many approaching truncate; lemmas
with short, geniculate, mostly deciduous awns; stigmas pale yellow; kernels
slightly exposed, extending to or not quite to apices of the glumes, mid-size, buff
color, darker where exposed, broadly ellipsoid, endosperm waxy, nucellar layer
present, pedicellate spikelets reddish brown and almost wholly deciduous, so
that at maturity they may appear lacking entirely; coleoptiles red.
The principal distinguishing feature in Leoti sorgo is the peculiar quality ot
red in the glumes, which is lighter than in Red Amber and duller than that of
Honey. The head shapes are very ununiform, much more so than m most
varieties, the leaves less subject to red discolorations, and it is one of the few
varieties having seed with waxy endosperms. A panicle, spikelets, and kernels
are shown in plate 48. ^ ^ ^ A •
Histm-y.—Ovi^ui undetermined. It was obtained by the Department ot Agri-
culture in 1920 from V. E. F. Kleyman, Leoti, Wichita County, Kans. R. E.
Getty, who secured the seed, observed the variety being grown on occasional
farms in southwestern Kansas.
Distribution.—Grown commercially in Kansas.
Synonym.—Leoti Red.
^ 59. FOLGER SORGO
jDesmpiion.—Plants midseason, tall; stems mid-stout, juicy, sweet; tillers
freely; branches mid-freely; leafy (mode 14); midribs cloudy; leaf sheaths
overlapping slightly; panicles erect, mid-size, mid-compact, cylindroid or ap-
proaching cylindroid to sometimes ellipsoid ; rachis 60 to lOO percent of head
length but usually discontinuous; rachis branches mid-long, of nearly equal
length ; glumes usually keeled and thinly pubescent, black or very dark reddish
brown, sometimes with indistinct straw-colored apices, coriaceous to indurate,
ovate to elliptic, apices acute or approaching accuminate ; lemmas not awned ;
stigmas pale yellow; kernels considerably exposed in the angles and at apices
of well-opened glumes, extending to or not quite to the apices of the glumes,
mid-size, light buff where unexposed but reddish brown where exposed, broadly
ellipsoid to obovoid, endosperm starchy, corneous layer mid-thick, nucellar layer
present; pedicellate spikelets small, inconspicuous, light straw color and largely
deciduous at maturity; coleoptiles red. A panicle, spikelets, and kernels are
shown in plate 49.
Folger heads are somewhat shorter than McLean but longer than Orange.
Compared with McLean and Minnesota Amber, the kernels are more exposed,

24 Letter of J. T. Elliott, Eagletown, N. C, Oct. 20, 1905.

25 RIDGWAY, R. See footnote 13.
76 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 506, V. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE

broader, and rounder at the tip. The glumes are wider as compared to length
than those of McLean, and the straw-colored margins are much less conspicuous.
History.—A variety originating in selections of Early Amber made by A. S.
Folger, Shenandoah, Iowa {164, P- 65). Seeds from these selections were planted
at Sterling, Kans., in 1888, and the resulting crop was quite variable in sugar
content and in other respects. Selections were made, and one of these gave a
uniform progeny with a 3-percent greater sugar content than the original selec-
tions from Folger. This selection was increased and given the name " Folger's
Early."
Distribution.—Grown to a small extent in South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama,
and Kansas.
Synonym.—Folger's Early.
60. WHITE AFRICAN SORGO
Description.—^Plants midseason to late (118 days, average of 12 crop years),
very tall (82 inches, average of 12 crop years) ; stems mid-stout to stout, mid-
juicy to juicy, sweet; tillers freely; branches sparsely; leafy (mode 15) ; midribs
cloudy; leaf sheaths overlapping slightly to moderately; panicles erect, mid-
compact, obconoid to cylindroid, relatively short ; rachis 40 to 70 percent of head
length, but usually about 50 percent; rachis branches mid-long, spreading at
apex ; glumes thinly pubescent or partly pubescent at maturity, brownish black,
coriaceous to indurate, elliptic, apices acute to obtuse ; lemmas not awned ;
stigmas very pale greenish yellow; kernels considerably exposed in angles of
glumes and extending to or slightly beyond apices of glumes, small to mid-size,
white with small reddish-brown spots near apices, ellipsoid, endosperm starchy,
corneous layer thick, nucellar layer absent; pedicellate spikelets small, straw-
colored with brown spots, largely deciduous at maturity; coleoptiles green. A
panicle, spikelets, and kernels are shown in plate 50.
One of the very few sorgos having pure-white kernels with no nucellar layer ;
also has tall, rather stout stems, with comparatively small panicle.
History.—Apparently an introduction in 1857 by Leonard Wray from Natal,
South Africa, under the name Enyama. Later the variety sometimes was called
White Mammoth, and Collier (^8, pp. 68, 69) obtained some old seed of Enyama
from Mr. Wray and found it identical with White Mammoth. Early illustra-
tions (57, pi. 15; Jft, pi. 5) and descriptions of this White Mammoth indicate its
identity with the variety now being grown as White African. Both White
African and White Mammoth were listed among the varieties of sorghums grown
in the United States in 1880 (-^7, p.S%),
The illustrations by Collier (^8, pis. Ik and 15), as well as his descriptions
(^7, p. 40), indicate that the present White African sorgo is more like the
original White Mammoth than the White African of that date. In some way the
varietal name must have been shifted from the original White African to the
White Mammoth.
Distrilmtion.—Grown commercially in Georgia, Arkansas, and Oklahoma.
Synonym.—Known at first as White Mammoth.
61. ATLAS SORGO
Description.—Plants midseason to late, mid-tall to tall (average 70 inches) ;
stems mid-stout, juicy, sweet; tillers freely; branches mid-freely; leafy (13
to 15) ; midribs cloudy; leaf sheaths overlapping moderately; panicles erect,
mid-compact, ellipsoid to cylindrical; rachis about 90 percent of head length
and usually discontinuous in main heads ; rachis branches mid-long, appressed ;
glumes pubescent, black, indurate, ovate to elliptic, apices acute; lemmas not
awned; stigmas creamy white; kernels much exposed in angles and extending
well beyond apices of glumes, mid-size, white with reddish brown to black
spots, obovoid to globose or ellipsoid, embryo prominent, endosperm starchy,
corneous layer thick, nucellar layer absent; pedicellate spikelets mostly straw-
colored, some dark with purple tinge, largely persistent but inconspicuous at
maturity; coleoptiles green. A panicle, spikelets, and kernels are shown in
plate 51.
History.—Originated as a selection from the progeny of a cross between
BlackhuU kafir and Sourless sorgo. This cross was made by I. N. Farr, a
farmer and sorghum breeder at Stockton, Kans., but the selection work was
done at the Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station at Manhattan under the
direction of Parker (109). Hybrid heads were sent to the experiment station
by Mr. Farr, and after several years of head-row tests the most promising
Technical Bulletin 506, U. S. Department of Agriculture PLATE 51

', ^v»V'

*l'
•<^ *rV

t#* ATLAS SORGO.

'f # #
Panicle, scale indicates size in inches; spilcelets and kernels in three positions, X 3.
Technical Bulletin 506, U. S. Department oí Agriculture PLATE:IJ52

MCLEAN SORGO.

Panicle, scale indicates size in inches; spikelets and kernels in three positions, X 3.
Technical Bulletin 506, U. S. Department of Agriculture PLATE 53

REX SORGO.
Panicle, scale indicates size in inches; spikelets and kernels in three positions, X 3.
Technical Bulletin 506, U. S. Department of Agriculture PLATE 54

••sL-^'ii 4
S
■3i

1 m^^ êA

|< t|
COLLIER SORGO.
Panicle, scale inrticateó size in inches; spikelets and liernels in three positions, X Î
Technical Bulletin 506, U. S, Department of Agriculture PLATE 55

lia f m i

DENTóN SORGO.
Panicle, scale indicates size in inclies; spikelets and kernels in three positions, X 3.
Technical Bulletin 506, U. S. Department of Agriculture PLATE 56

EVERGREEN BROOMCORN.

Panicle, scale indicates size in inches; spikelets and kernels in three positions, X 3.
 COMMON SOKGHUM VARIETIES 77

segregate was selected in 1923, and this strain was later given the name Atlas.
The first general distribution of Atlas to farmers was made about 1928.
Distril)ution.^Gro\\n principally in Kansas but spreading to adjoinmg States.
62. McLEAN SORGO
Description.—FlSints midseason to late (115 days, average of 11 crop years),
tall (72 inches, average of 14 crop years) ; stems mid-stout, juicy, sweet; tillers
freely; branches mid-freely; mid-leafy (mode 12) ; midribs cloudy; leaf sheaths
overlapping slightly; panicles long, erect, mid-compact tending toward efCuse,
cvlindroid or approaching cylindroid; rachis 60 to 100 percent of head length
but usually discontinuous; rachis branches mid-long, appressed to spreading;
glumes pubescent near apices but pubescence partly deciduous at maturity,
indurate except around edges, black with apices of outer glumes uniformly
straw-colored to reddish brown, ovate or ovate-elliptic, appressed, apices acute ;
lemmas not awned; stigmas yellow; kernels slightly exposed in angles of
glumes, mid-size, reddish brown, ellipsoid to ovoid or obovoid, somewhat narrow
and pointed toward apex, endosperm waxy, nucellar layer present; pedicellate
spikelets mid-size to large, straw-colored to light reddish brown, usually as
long as or longer than sessile spikelets, generally somewhat conspicuous m
mature head because a relatively large proportion are retained after maturity ;
coleoptiles red. A panicle, spikelets, and kernels are shown in plate 52.
Closely related to the Black Ambers, but distinguishable from them by the
less effuse rather stiff panicle, and the somewhat variegated appearance ot
the panicle due to the straw-colored apices of the black glumes and the un-
usually numerous persistent pedicellate spikelets. It is also somewhat later
in maturing than most of the Ambers. ^ . ^ ^ 4. ^
History—This variety was received by the United States Department of
Agriculture from Peter McLean, Undersecretary for Agriculture, Queensland,
Australia, in 1890 (165). It was unnamed, and the name McLean was applied
to it in recognition of the service of Secretary McLean in supplying seed. In
the experiments at Sterling, McLean sorgo made an excellent record as a sirup
^^ifSíHoíií^.—Grown' in Arkansas to a greater extent than elsewhere, but
nowhere very extensively.
63. REX SORGO
Desc^Wtion.—Fiants midseason, mid-tall; stems mid-slender to mid-stout,
iuicv sweet; tillers freely; branches mid-freely; mid-leafy (mode 13) ; midribs
cloudy; leaf sheaths overlapping moderately; panicles erect, slender, mid-com-
nact cylindroid or sometimes fusiform ; rachis 60 to 100 percent of head length
with average about 80 percent and usually discontinuous; rachis branches
short to mid-long, appressed; glumes thinly pubescent, reddish brown and
usually with straw-colored margins, chartaceous at the tip but somewhat thick-
ened near the base, ovate to elliptic, apices acute; lemmas not awned ; stigmas
pale yellow ; kernels well exposed and extending to or beyond apices of glumes
small, color quite variable ranging from cream buff to liver brown (Ridgway )
on the same seed, obovoid to sometimes ellipsoid, embryo unusually prominent,
endosperm starchy, corneous layer mid-thick, nucellar layer present; pedicellate
spikelets mid-size, straw-colored, persistent in mature heads ; coleoptiles green.
A panicle, spikelets, and kernels are shown in plate 53. ^ . « ^..^
Rex most resembles Dentón, from which it differs in having very few infertile
sessile spikelets and in the greater exposure of the kernels in the angles and at
the apices of the glumes. , ..... .^ 4.1.^
Histon/—Among the sorghums grown at the sorghum sugar station of the
United States Department of Agriculture at Sterling, Kans., in 1891, were two
Snated as gX^nd 14X. These are listed (165. pp. 97, 125) as selections
from natural crosses found in Link Hybrid (Sapling) and Amber sorgos.
According to R. Best, of the Fort Scott Sugar & Sorghum Sirup Co., Fort Scott,
Kans.,^ the name Red X was applied to both of the above strains, which dif-
fered only in the length of the heads. The variety name has been changed to
Rex
Distnlmtion.—Grown commercially to a small extent in Arkansas for sirup
production and experimentally in Kansas and Texas.
Synwrn/ym.—^Red X.

««RmGWAT, R. See footnote 13.

«^Letter dated Apr. 20, 1906.
78 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 50 6, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE

64. COLLIER SORGO

Description.—Plants early (97 days, average of 7 crop years), mid-tall to
tall (71 inches, average of 12 crop years) ; stems mid-slender to mid-stout;
juicy, sweet; tillers freely; branches freely; mid-leafy (mode 12); midribs
cloudy; leaf sheaths overlapping moderately; panicles small, erect, sometimes
effuse and umbelliform but more often not spreading, tending to lie close to-
gether and droop to one side like broomcorn ; rachis usually less than 20 per-
cent of head length with poorly defined nodes ; rachis branches long and fruited
only near the outer ends ; glumes thinly pubescent to glabrous, spreading con-
siderably, straw-colored to reddish brown or black but usually with straw-
colored margins, the center colored but with the color often in spots and streaks,
usually somewhat chartaceous but often thickened at the base, ovate to some-
times elliptic, apices acute or acuminate and not adhering close to kernel;
lemmas not awned ; stigmas yellow; kernels considerably exposed in angles
of glumes and extending nearly to but rarely beyond the apices of glumes,
small, narrow, reddish brown, ellipsoid, endosperm starchy, corneous layer mid-
ihick to thick, nucellar layer present; pedicellate spikelets midsize to large,
chartaceous, straw-colored to reddish brown and largely persistent in the mature
head ; coleoptiles green. Panicles, spikelets, and kernels are shown in plate 54.
This variety is easily distinguished from other sorgos by its characteristic
short rachis with usually one or but few nodes and very long rachis branches,
giving the panicle an appearance somewhat like broomcorn.
History.—In 1881 the United States Department of Agriculture received 13
varieties of sorghum from the Botanical Gardens at Natal, South Africa (48,
pp. 76, 77), through W. T. Thiselton Dyer, assistant director of the Royal
Gardens, Kew, England. Among these was one called " Undendebule ", which
was grown in the sorghum-sugar experiments of the Department being con-
ducted by Collier. In 1888, after Dr. Collier had become director of the New
York Agricultural Experiment Station, he sent seed of Undendebule sorghum
to Dentón {165, p. 89) at the United States Department of Agriculture experi-
ment station at Sterling, Kans. The variety contained two types, which were
separated. In 1891 one of the types (Undendebule No. 1) was named Collier
at the suggestion of H. W. Wiley, then chief chemist, United States Department
of Agriculture. The illustration of Undendebule in Collier's book (//8, p. 90)
leaves little doubt about its relation to the present Collier sorgo.
Distribution.—Grown to a small extent in Georgia and South Carolina.
65. DENTÓN SORGO
Description.—VVdnt^ midseason, mid-tall ; stems mid-stout, juicy, sweet ; tillers
freely; branches freely; mid-leafy (mode 11); midribs cloudy; leaf sheaths
overlapping moderately; panicles erect but sometimes tending toward eftuse,
cylindroid to fusiform ; rachis 80 to 100 percent of head length, rachis branches
mid-long to short, generally appressed ; glumes thinly pubescent, brownish red,
often with the margins straw-colored, especially near the apices, indurate,
elliptic or narrowly ovate, apices acuminate or often acute ; lemmas not awned ;
stigmas very pale greenish yellow ; kernels slightly exposed in the angles of the
glumes but not so long as the glumes, small, light brown or tan with reddish
brown spots, ellipsoid, endosperm starchy, corneous layer mid-thick, nucellar
layer present or in one strain absent ; pedicellate spikelets straw-colored, mid-size
to large, persistent, and conspicuous at maturity ; coleoptiles green. A panicle,
spikelets, and kernels are shown in plate 55.
In this variety, seed characteristically fails to develop in many sessile spike-
lets, giving the heads an appearance of partial sterility. This feature and the
narrow, rather small panicle and narrow but long brownish-red glumes are the
chief distinguishing features of Dentón sorgo.
S"isior^.—Selected from a field of Honduras (Honey) sorgo at Sterling, Kans.,
in 1888 by A. A. Dentón, of the United States Department of Agriculture The
selection, which did not resemble Honey, was first designated as No. 101, but
was later named Dentón in honor of the originator by Wiley.'^ Dentón sorgo
was distributed by the Department of Agriculture in 1890.
Distribution.—Not grown except to a limited extent.
28 Letter from Mary Best, Medicine Lodge, Kans., July 1, 1907.
 COMMON SOEGHUM VARIETIES . 79

66. SUGAR DRIP SORGO

Description.—Plants midseason, mid-tall to tall ; stems mid-stout, juicy, sweet ;
tillers freely; branches mid-freely; mid-leafy; midribs cloudy; leaf sheaths
overlapping moderately; panicles erect, mid-size, dense or mid-compact, cylin-
droid or approaching cylindroid ; rachis 75 to 90 percent of head length ; rachis
branches mid-long, appressed, heavily fruited ; glumes small, usually appressed,
thinly pubescent on the margins, black to reddish brown, indurate, veins hardly
perceptible except near the apex, broadly ovate, apices acute or approaching
truncate in some instances ; lemmas not awned ; kernels plump, very much ex-
posed and extending nearly half their length beyond the apices of the glumes,
mid-size, reddish brown where exposed but lighter in color underneath the
glumes, decidedly obovoid with the apex rounded so that the seed on the head
appears globose, somewhat flattened on the ventral side, endosperm starchy,
corneous layer thick, nucellar layer present; pedicellate spikelets small, in-
conspicuous, mostly deciduous at maturity; coleoptiles red, or green in some
Çi-j-r»Q I'M O

In general characters Sugar Drip is most like Colman. It differs from

Colman chiefly in the more slender definitely cyUndric panicle, and the dark-
colored, smaller, and less acute glumes, resulting in much greater exposure of
the more globose and browner seeds. Sugar Drip is more heavily fruited than
Red X, and the glumes rarely if ever have light-colored margins.
Another variety or strain that resembles Sugar Drip in all of its characters,
except that the glumes are dark red or reddish brown, is encountered fre-
quently in the Southeastern States. It is apparently not so common, however,
as the type here described.
History.—Jjittle is known as to the origin of this variety. It seems to have
been a common practice to apply the name Sugar Drip or Honey Drip to almost
any good sirup variety, which led to endless confusion, and the name is there-
fore objectionable from a classification standpoint. The variety here described
is fairly distinct from other varieties, and since no suitable name has been
applied to it the best course seems to be to fix a definite type for the name
Sugar Drip. ^ , . .^ .
Distribution.—K considerable acreage is found m Arkansas, and it is grown
sparingly as a sirup variety in other Southeastern States.
Synmiyms.—BonQj Drip, Golden Drip, Silver Drip, Japanese Honeydrip,
Japanese Ribbon Cane, and Texas Seeded Ribbon Cane.
67. EVERGREEN BROOMCORN
Description.—V\£i^t^ midseason^ (89 days, average of 10 years), tall (95
inches, average of 10 years) ; stems mid-stout, dry, not sweet ; tillers mid-freely ;
branches freely; mid-leafy (10-12); midribs white; leaf sheaths overlapping
slightly ; panicles erect, sometimes effuse and umbelliform but usually appressed
forming'a brush; rachis very short; rachis branches very long (16-24 inches),
usually arising in nearly the same portion of the rachis, usually drooping to one
side ; glumes partly pubescent but pubescence largely deciduous, tan, coriaceous,
elliptic, apices acute to obtuse ; lemmas awned ; stigmas yellow ; kernels slightly
exposed in angles and extending usually to apices of glumes, small, brown,
ellipsoid ; endosperm starchy, nucellar layer present ; pedicellate spikelets straw-
colored and largely deciduous at maturity ; coleoptiles red. A panicle, spikelets,
and kernels are shown in plate 56. ^^ . , ^ ^ ,
Panicle almost entirely exserted from the sheath. Peduncle thick and firmly
attached at the base.
Hisiori/.—Evergreen broomcorn is of the type commonly grown in Europe, par-
ticularly in Italy and Hungary. It has been introduced into the United States
under different names from time to time, but the date of the first introduction is
not known. It was the leading variety in Illinois {W) and was commonly
grown in New York (64) in 1873. , ^or>rT /n\
The first-known mention of the varietal name Evergreen was m 1867 (9).
From comparative descriptions, however, it is believed that the Evergreen variety
is identical with one known previously under such names as New Jersey and
Large English which was being grown in Massachusetts as early as 1842 {20).
The names Tennessee Evergreen and Missouri Evergreen are regional strains
coming from those States and were known as early as 1873.
as^See footnote 6, p. 21.
80 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 5 0 6, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE

Austrian broomcorn was introduced from Hungary by J. P. Gross & Co.,

Chicago, 111., in 1899. A few seeds saved from the imported brush were sent to
central Illinois for growing. White Italian has been the leading variety of
broomcorn in Illinois for more than 10 years. Its origin has not been determined.
Illinois Favorite is reported to have been produced by hybridization of two
varieties (Black Spanish and White Italian) by Pfeifer (113). It was first
distributed in 1922.
Some local strains are later and taller and have longer brushes than the more
common strains of Evergreen, but are otherwise identical. One strain has been
called " Long Brush Evergreen."
Distribution.—Grown in Illinois, Texas, Tennessee, Missouri, and Oklahoma
and to a small extent in many other States.
Synonyms.—Austrian, White Italian, Illinois Favorite, Standard.
68. BLACK SPANISH BROOMCORN
Description.—Black Spanish differs from Evergreen in having chocolate or
dark-brown to black glumes and shorter brush and in being shorter and earlier.
A panicle is shown in plate 57.
Historp.—Black Spanish broomcorn has been grown in this country under
that name for 30 years or more, and under the name " Japanese " at least since
1887. It may be the same variety as the Shirley or Black Brush, grown in
Massachusetts in 1842 (20).
Standard broomcorn varieties with black glumes, probably identical with
Black Spanish, were received by the United States Department of Agriculture
more than 30 years ago from countries in western Europe and South America.
Distribution.—Grown in Oklahoma, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Illinois,
and Texas.
Synonyms.—Black Jap, Japanese, Extra Early Japanese.
69. CALIFORNIA GOLDEN BROOMCORN
Description.—Identical with Evergreen broomcorn except in being earlier,
shorter, and with shorter brush. Similar to Black Spanish except in having
tan instead of dark-brown glumes.
History.—Reported from Ford County, Kans., in 1882, and in 1880 a " Golden "
variety was mentioned in a report of the Kansas State Board of Agriculture
(88, p. 23). The characteristics of the variety correspond closely with those of
the variety called "Mohawk", "York", or "Shaker" {10, 149), which was
grown in the Mohawk Valley of New York early in the nineteenth century and
later in Illinois.
Distribution.—Grown sparingly in several States.
Synonym.—Was distributed as Aksarben Special in Nebraska about 1923.
70. EVERGREEN DWARF BROOMCORN

Description.—Fiants midseason (90 days, average of 10 years), mid-tall (55

inches, average of 10 years); stems mid-stout, not juicy^ not sweet; tillers
freely; branches freely; mid-leafy (10-12) ; midribs white; leaf sheaths over-
lapping; panicles erect, sometimes effuse and umbelliform but usually ap-
pressed, forming a brush; rachis very short, rachis branches very long (16-24
inches) and usually arising in nearly the same portion of the rachis, often
drooping and hanging to one side; glumes partly pubescent but pubescence
largely deciduous at maturity, reddish tan, coriaceous, elliptic, apices acute;
lemmas awned; stigmas yellow; kernels almost entirely covered by glumes,
small, brown, ellipsoid, to obovoid, endosperm starchy, nucellar layer present;
pedicellate spikelets tan or straw-colored and deciduous at maturity ; coleoptiles
red. A panicle, spikelets, and kernels are shown in plate 58.
This variety differs from Evergreen in being shorter, in tillering more freely,
and in having a shorter and more slender peduncle and more red in the color
of glumes. The more slender peduncle permits readily its detachment from
the stalk by pulling; the shorter peduncle causes the brush to be enclosed in
the upper leaf sheath for half to two-thirds of its length.
History.—Origin undetermined. It may have arisen as a mutation in Ever-
green, as it has not been found in Europe. Dwarf broomcorn from Europe
Technical Bulletin 506, U. S. Department of Agriculture PLATE 57

BLACK SPANISH BROOMCORN.

Panicle, scale indicates size in inches; spikelets and kernels in three positions, X 3.
Technical Bulletin 506, U. S. Department of Agriculture PLATE 58

EVERGREEN DWARF BROOMCORN.

Panicle, scale indicates size in inches; spikelets and kernels in three positions, X 3.
 COMMON SORGHUM VARIETIES 81

has differed considerably from any American variety. A variety somewhat

similar to Evergreen Dwarf was obtained recently from Russian Turkistan in
Asia, where it has been grown for many years. Evergreen Dwarf was listed in
the seed catalog of R. K. Bliss & Sons, New York, in 1873. It apparently was
grown in Kansas as early as 1879 (89), and has been a common variety in the
Southwestern States since that time, but particularly from 1900 to 19^.
Distribution.—Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, New Mexico, and Colorado.
Synonyms.—Acme, Dwarf Evergreen, Oklahoma Dwarf, Long Brush Dwarf,
Western Dwarf. Acme is a selected strain of Evergreen Dwarf distributed by
the United States Department of Agriculture.
71. SCARBOROUGH BROOMCORN
Description.—Scarborough differs from Evergreen Dwarf in being later and
slightly taller. The seed is less reddened, and the rachis branches (brush) are
somewhat longer. The distinguishing feature of Scarborough is the production
of most of its seed near the tips of the panicle branches (fig. 23).
History.—Reported to have been developed on the farm of William Scar-
borough in Texas County, Okla., from seed of an unknown variety received from
Mangum, Okila."® It is the progeny of a single superior-looking panicle selected
by Tilden Scarborough in 1910.'^ During the next 2 years all off-type plants
were removed from the field. Seed was distributed in 1914, but the variety did
not become well known until about 1922. By that time it had become badly
mixed with Evergreen Dwarf and hybridized with it. Later it was isolated and
purified by workers at the United States Field Station at Woodward, Okla., and
by others.
Distribution.—Oklahoma, Kansas, New Mexico, Colorado, Texas, and Illinois.
Synonyms.—Scarbough, Scarbro, Scarboro, Scarbaugh.
72. JAPANESE DWARF BROOMCORN
Description.—Japanese Dwarf differs from Evergreen Dwarf in being shorter
and earlier and in having shorter (12-18 inches) and finer brush. About three-
fourths of the length of the brush is enclosed in the upper leaf sheath. The
brush usually is considerably reddened. The peduncle is short and slender and
produces several constrictions near the base, where it breaks from the stalk in
pulling. A panicle, spikelets. and kernels are shown in plate 59.
History.—Japanese Dwarf .jroomcorn probably originated as a mutation from
some tall (standard) variety of broomcorn. It appears to have been first
grown at least as early as 1855 (7) in Ohio, and in York County, Pa., in 1860
(4). It has been cultivated rather extensively at times but now is rarely
grown.
Distribution.—Grown sparingly in Oklahoma and probably other States.
Synonyms.—Jap Dwarf, Sterling Dwarf, Whisk Dwarf.
73. BLACK SPANISH DWARF BROOMCORN
Description.—This variety is similar to the Black Spanish, an early standard
variety, in time of maturity, color of glumes, and type of brush, but has the
height of stalk, weak stem attachment, and the brush much enclosed in the
sheath like the dwarf parent, Scarborough.
History.—Originated by H. Z. O'Hair & Sons, Bushton, 111., who state : " This
is a new variety of Dwarf that we have produced by crossing the Black Span-
ish onto the Scarborough Dwarf. We have been working on this for 7 years
past, and have succeeded to a point that we feel justified in offering a limited
amount to the planters for their trial."
Distribution.—Grown sparingly in Illinois, Colorado, and other States.

ACREAGE OF IMPORTANT VARIETIES BY STATES

To provide more definite information as to the acreage and dis-
tribution of the principal varieties of sorghum grown in the United
80 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. SCARBOROUGH DWARF BROOMCORN.
U. S. Dept. Agr. Press Release, Mar. 7, 1927. [Mimeographed.]
" Personal correspondence dated Mar. 17, 1929.
22613—36 6
82 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 5 0 6, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE

FiöDKB 23.—Threshed and unthreshed panicles of Acme and Scarborough broomcorn,

showing that the seed branches occur nearer the tip of the panicles In Scarborough
than In Acme : A and 0, Acme ; B and D. Scarborough.
Technical Bulle^.in 506, U. S. Department of Agriculture PLATE 59

JAPANESE DWARF BROOMCORN.

Panicle, scale indicates size in inches; spikelets and Ijernels in tliree positions, X 3.
 COMMON SOEGHXJM VARIETIES 83
States, a survey was conducted in 1925 in cooperation with the Divi-
sion of Crop and Livestock Estimates of the Bureau of Agricultural
Economics. This survey was limited to those sections of the United
States known to produce an appreciable acreage of sorghum. The
voluntary crop reporters were asked to name and describe briefly all
the varieties grown in their respective localities and indicate the
percentage of the total sorghum acreage contributed by each variety.
piR.tf.*ï«<r ■
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULT
BUREAU OK ACRJCULTURXL ECONOMICS
Myuuiït OF (xat AND wrtstooL esTuiittcs
Î^SA'îMA' WASHIMCTON

SPECIAL INQUIRY ON SORGHUM VARIETIES

Uto «OS CoaaesTOiiftiMT; W^msuros, ft C, Attg^ut f, Jiç3>
Thî» l>«p&rtaie&t -»iteh«« to prfçwteç »n äScütl cîftjwific«tion oí «^hutn varietíe» \i tho pt^eat litao ttwïe i« gcttti
coßftu^n wtth r^ard to tfae vnrkitti á«.m«B of «erghum. Ko comptet« e!Mi«iJlcatfoíi sit«! dcMfrítttion t>f sorqui» ^ri«tíes hfts
&6ea aitmqfted in the puá. _ ' *
U te âe^rtt,ble to determtoe »here aati %o yhkt cjct^it f««fa nf i}to jtt&nJ»rtt vnri«ttes h trmtt n and ID Icuun uf varicit«» Aofc
■■, e9^it«d lo ou|-«XpSliiaaciialptaatki^ Wiityou jdcoee »a*i^ i» this wt^X 6y entérina •»> fhu foroi Tttstow the htfonnaMf)»

■IS

XAMB or vARmty
•TSt

!.*-t ¿Sí.»' '-.

DL.
^miaOÍ&l^.
WHt« iji tb» ínrt colnma (A) «h« iim« of all vuSKIs, uf »rghuj» «fm-ii jo j-our iieijWiutboiHl. (1 UûWO «rfet». of
■tna ««sbmn r«"«"), »rf», mito t"ioai>-raai»"), fstori», don-« <-Cyp«on.-í, lurssri, «bÄt rEíHitlM whe«»" or
"ries corn"), Jiwltog,ít«.l Gfl-« tta k«J oMoe for «neb vtóot,. If v»rtny i. loo.n by oiore (hui OMnim» »vo íir«t
tfeo ïiattte mort ooiaowtdy uwd «aá «aíier tttix {I» farsokebi) Uw Qtll«e moicsbjtchidiitia feíMwa.
Show uador Mtami (B), oppodt« «h« o»in« oí «wh víriMy. t)» pemiot«(» Uu* u» .racenge of thi« »tórtv lonm of the
total lusodge of «it flori^tims In your nel^lx^beoil
Opposite itwih VÄrioty <Í6Kríb« its-chamotarirtíos iw indiöstcd ueâfcr " DtÄsrtptloa of vartetic«" ÍCj.
(ComBwu fieia-r«n sorgbom wftbotit »»y «pocial iiamo ahoold to listed nod deiwinbed os the fiívt'lteio,)

FiGUHE 24.—A returned questionnaire oí the sorghum varietal survey.

A specimen schedule as returned to the Department is shown in

figure 24.
The questionnaire was modeled after that used in the survey of
wheat varieties {Jfi). It was not explicit enough, and some confusion
as to the exact information desired was evident in the replies. The
chief difficulty arose from the failure of the reporters to understand
that the term sorghum included both the sorgos and the grain sor-
ghums. Some listed only the sorgos, even though the different groups
of grain sorghums were all named in an explanatory note. Through
an error in mailing the questionnaires, a few crop-reporting districts
84 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 50 6, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE

were omitted in the 1925 survey, and these were included in a second
distribution of questionnaires in January 1927. The results were
combined and applied to the census returns for 1924. Since, how-
ever, the acreage and distribution of varieties are now fairly stable,
it is believed that the data from crop reporters for the 1926 crop as
well as that for the 1924 crop may justifiably be applied to the returns
obtained in the 1925 census. In any case the number of districts
reporting from the second questionnaire was so small that the effect
of any slight error in applying these to the 1925 census results would
be entirely negligible.
The 3,500 returned questionnaires were carefully reviewed and
many of the reports were discarded because of obvious deficiencies.
There were many others in which local varietal names had been
applied. (The extent of this substitution of local names in certain
varieties is indicated in the lists that follow.) These local names
were interpreted with the aid of the descriptive notes included in the
schedule. There remained, however, a considerable number in which
the varietal name and accompanying description were not sufficient
to identify the variety. Eequests for head specimens representing
these unidentifiable varieties were mailed to the authors of such
reports. Marked success was achieved in obtaining head specimens,
and most of the doubtful varieties were easily identified as some one
of the common varieties. In order to verify the identifications of the
326 doubtful varieties a short row of each was grown at Chillicothe,
Tex., in 1926, and the earlier varieties were grown also at Hays, Kans.,
and Monetta, S. C. After studying these sorghums in the field there
remained only 37 lots that could not be definitely assigned to some
known variety, and over half of these were obviously hybrids. The
remainder were grown for several succeeding years to determine the
stability of their characters and their value in comparison with stand-
ard varieties. None proved likely to become important commercially.
By these additional tests several more were associated with known
varieties. The few remaining had, no doubt, originated as natural
crosses or mutations and become stabilized through years of selection
in the community where they first appeared.
Some sorgo varieties and the vernacular names under which they were
received in the varietal survey

Colman : Colman—Continued. Honey :

Alabama cane Long Red cane Blue Ribbon cane
Amber Orange Broomcorn cane
Amber Gray Orange Top Foxtail
Blue Ribbon Georgia cane
Osage Orange
Coleman's Golden Georgia Wonder
Early Orange Red Orange Hastings Seedling
Georgia White cane Red Ribbon cane Honey Drip
Golden Orange Short Bunch Japanese cane
Golden Rope Silver cane Japanese Honey
Gray Top cane Silver Drip cane
Honey Dew Silver Top Japanese Honey
Honey Drip Sourless Drip
Improved Orange Sugar Drip Japanese Honey-
Japanese cane Sweet cane suckle
Kansas Orange Texas Honey Dew Japanese Seeded
Long Bunch cane Yellow Orange Ribbon cane
 COMMON SORGHUM VARIETIES 85
Some sorgo varieties and the vernacular names under which they were received
in the varietal survey—Continued

Honey—Continued. Orange—Continued. Sapling—Continued.

Large Red cane Sugar Drip Grey's Best
Red seed cane Texas Honey cane Hasting's Syrup
Redtop sugar cane Texas Ribbon cane cane
Ribbon cane White Amber Honey Drip
Seeded Ribbon Planter : Improved Orange
Silver Drip Arkansas cane Japanese cane
Sugar Drip Beck Dale cane Nix cane
Texas Honey Drip Blue Ribbon None Sucker cane
Texas Ribbon Clear Stalk cane Orange
Texas Seeded Ribbon Corbin cane Red Ribbon cane
cane Grey Orange Ribbon cane
Texas Sugar cane Honey Dew Redtop
Zachary cane Honey Drip Seeded Ribbon
Orange : Japanese cane Silver Drip
African millet Ribbon cane Silver Tip
Buttermilk cane River cane Sugar cane
California cane Seeded Ribbon Sugar Drip
Clear Stalk cane Sea Island cane Sure Head Honey
Cuban Grayhead Silver Drip Drip
Georgia White Sugar Drip Texas Honey Dew
Honey Tom Hill cane Texas Ribbon cane
Honeycomb Yellow Amber White Ribbon
Honey Drip White Stem cane Yellow Amber
Klondike cane Sapling : Sourless :
Missouri cane Blue Ribbon
African millet
Buckbee's Golden
Redtop Early Orange Big Gray cane
Ribbon cane Georgia White Gray Top cane
Silver Drip cane Golden Drip Large Brownhead
Silver Top cane Graytop cane
Sugar cane Grey Orange Sugar Drip

A few of fyiany vernacular names applied to more than one sorghum variety,
and the varieties to which they vyere applied^ in reports received in the
varietal survey
African millet: Japanese cane: Seeded Ribbon cane—Con
Orange Colman Sapling
Sourless Honey Silver Drip:
Blue Ribbon: Planter Colman
Colman Sapling Honey
Honey Redhead cane: Orange
Planter Sumac Planter
Sapling Gooseneck Sapling
Graytop cane: Redtop : Silver Top :
Colman Honey Colman
Sapling Orange Orange
Sourless Sapling White African
Honey Dew: Sumac Sugar cane:
Colman Ribbon cane: Honey
Planter Gooseneck Orange
Sapling Honey Sapling
Honey Drip: Orange Texas Ribbon cane :
Planter Honey
Colman Sapling Orange
Honey Seeded Ribbon cane: Sapling
Orange Gooseneck Yellow Amber :
Planter Honey Planter
Sapling Planter Sapling
86 TECHlSriCAL BULLETIN 5 0 6, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE

FiGUBE 25.—Outline map of the United States showing distribution of grain sorghums
in 1924. Each dot represents 1,000 acres. Estimated area, 4,500,000 acres.

The distribution of varieties as determined by this survey is shown

in tables 1 and 2 and on the small dot-maps in connection with the
descriptions of varieties. The larger dot-maps show total acreage of
grain sorghums (fig. 25) and sorgos (fig. 26).

FIGURE 26.—Outline map of the United States showing distribution of sorgos in 1924.
Each dot represents 1,000 acres. Estimated area, 3,121,900 acres.

In order to test the reliability of the survey, the data for Kansas
were compared with those collected by the Kansas State Board of
Agriculture in 1924 {90^ pp. 569-6S1), The acreages in these reports
are taken from the tax assessors' reports and have been considered
reasonably accurate. No separation of the acreage among the several
 COMMOÎT SORGHUM VAEIETIES 87

varieties is made in the Kansas board's reports, hence the compari-

son was limited to the larger groups, sorgo and kafir.
The total sorghum acreage of Kansas according to the 1925 census
was 2,016,791 acres, and according to the State board it was
2,023,987 acres, and the correlation coefficient for the acreages in the
101 individual counties is 0.965 ±0.005. This high degree of correla-
tion indicates a very close agreement between the census and board
acreages for the counties and makes a comparison of the groups
reliable. The correlation coefficient for kafir was 0.876 ±0.016 and
for sorgo 0.740 ±0.032 when ^he survey acreages were compared with
those of the State board hj counties. There is, therefore, at least
for the broad groups, statistical evidence that the distribution shown
by the survey is reliable to a high degree. It would, of course, be
less reliable for individual varieties.
88 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 5 0 6, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE
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 COMMON SORGHUM VARIETIES 89
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i * i i i*^' i ' il i"^* i ' i ' i ' i *

IM 1 1 It^ l(N irH 100 ¡-»í* ¡<N ¡.-H ¡CO

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90 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 5 0 6, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE

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92 TECHNICAL BTJLLETIlsF 50 6, U. S. DEPT. OF AGBICULTURE

LITERATURE CITED
(1) ANONYMOUS.
1855. THE NEW SUGAR PLANT. Amer. Agr. (n. s. 79) 14: 52-53.
(2)
1857. WHAT IS " IMPHEE " ? Amer. Agr. 16: 142.
(3)
1857. HOW ABOUT THAT "AFRIOAN IMPHE»E "? Amer. Agr. 16 (12):
276-277.
(4)
1860. A DWARF BROOM CORN. Amer. Agr. 19: 104.
(5)
1861. " EGYPTIAN CORN " HUMBUG. Amer. Agr. 20: 134.
(6)
1861. IMPORTANT DISCOVERY IN SUGAR MAKING. Amer. Agr. 20: 174.
(7)
1861. DWARF BROOM CORN. Prairie Farmer (n. s. 7) 23: 119.
(8)
1863. SORGHUM. A BIT OF HISTORY. Amer. Agr. 22: 270.
(9)
1867. EVERGREEN BROOM CORN. (In Questions and Answers.) Prairie
Farmer (n. s. 19) 35: 204.
(10)
1868. BROOM CORN. Amer. Agr. 27: 55-56.
(11)
1874. EGYPTIAN CORN. Pacific Rural Press 8: 177.
(12)
1877. THE DHOURA OR EGYPTIAN CORN. Pacific Rural Press 13: 161.
(13)
1878. EGYPTIAN CORN. Pacific Rural Press 15: 161.
(14)
1881. $25,000 FOR SORGHUM suGAn. Amer. Agr. 40: 94.
(15)
1885. SORGHUM. Amer. Agr. 44: 251.
(16)
1887. KAFFIR CORN AND OTHER SORGHUMS. Pacific Rural Press 34:
347-348.
(17)
1928. A SUPERIOR DWARF " GYP " CORN. Pacific Rural Press 116: 660,
illus.
(18) ALEXANDER, J. H.
1883. MORE MILLO MAIZE. South. Cult. 41: 9.
(19)
1887. FORAGE CROPS. [Seed store circular.] 2 pp. Augusta, Ga.
(20) ALLEN, W.
1843. BROOM CÎ0RN. Prairie Farmer 3: 128-129, illus.
(21) AMERICAN SOCIETY OF AGRONOMY, COMMITTEE ON VARIETAL NOMENCLATURE.
1917. REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON VARIETAL NOMENCLATURE. JoUr. Amer.
Soc. Agron. 9: 419-427.
(22) AEDUINO, P.
1786. MEMORIA DEL GENERE DELGI OLCHI, DELLE SUE SPECIE E VARIETÀ,
DELLA coLTURA ED usi ECONÔMICI. Saggi Scieutifici 6 Letterarj
deir Accad. Padova, t. 1, pp. 117-140, illus. Padova.
(23) AscHERSON P., and SCHWEINFURTH, G.
1889. ILLUSTRATIONS DE LA FLORE DE L'éGYPTE. Mém. Inst. Egypte 2:
25-260.
(24) AVELLAR BROTERO, F. DE.
1804. FLORA LUSITANICA, SEU, PLANTARUM, QUAE IN LUSITANIA VEL SPONTE
CRESCUNT, VEL FREQUENTIUS COLUNTUR, EX FLORUM PRAESERTIM
SEXUBUS SYSTEM ATICE DISTRIBUT ARUM, SYNOPSIS ... 2 V.
Olissipone.
(25) BALL, C. R.
1906. SACCHARINE SORGHUMS FOR FORAGE. U. S. Dept. Agr. Farmers'
Bull. 246, 37 pp., illus.
(26)
1910. THE HISTORY AND DISTRIBUTION OF SORGHUM. U. S. Dept. Agr.,
Bur. Plant Indus. Bull. 175, 63 pp., illus.
 COMMON SOBGHUM VAEIETIES 93

(27) BALL, C. R. ^
1910. THREE MUCH-MISREPRESENTED SORGHUMS. U. S. Dept. Agr., Bur.
Plant Indus. Circ. 50, 14 pp., illus.
(28)
1911. BETTER GRAIN-SORGHUM CROPS. U. S. Dept. Agr. Farmers' Bull.
448, 36 pp., illus.
(29)
1912. SORGHUM. In Bailey, L. H., Cyclopedia of American Agriculture.
Ed. 4, 2, pp. 574^580, illus.
(30)
1913. THE KAOLIANGS: A NEW GROUP OF GRAIN SORGHUMS. U. S. Dcpt.
Agr., Bur. Plant Indus. Bull. 253, 64 pp., illus.
(31) and CLABK, J. A.
1918. NAMING WHEAT VABIETIES. JOUT. Amer. SOC. AgTOU. 101 89-94.
(32) and ROTHGEB, B. E. .^
1913. KAFIR AS A GEAIN CROP. U. S. Dept. Agr. Farmers' Bull. 552, 19 pp.,
illus.
(33) and ROTHGHB, B. E.
1918. GBAIN-SORiGHUM EXPERIMENTS IN THE PANHANDLE OF TEXAS. U. S.
Dept. Agr. Bull. 698:1-89, illus.
(34) BARTELDES, F., & Co.
1897. INTRODUCTION OF NON-SACOHARiNE SORGHUMS. Kaus. Farmer 35:
325.
(35) BECKWITH, W. ^ ^^ ^^
1880. DOURA, DHOURA, OH DORA. Rural Ncw Yorker 39: 295-29b.
(36) BEESON, M. A., and DAANE, A.
1919. DARSO. Okla. Agr. Expt. Sta. Bull. 127, 19 pp., illus.
(37) BENSON, C, and SuBm RAO, C. K. ^ ^ ^ K
1906 THE GRiEAT MILLET OB SORGHUM IN MADRAS. Madras Dcpt. Agr.
V. 3, Bull. 55, pp. [53]-122.
(38) BENTLEY, H. L.
1899 PROGRESS OP EXPERIMENTS IN FORAGE CROPS AND RANGE IMPROVEMENT
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 INDEX TO VARIETIES AND SYNONYMS
(Recognized varieties are in capitals, and synonyms are in lower case)
Page Page
Acme broomcorn _ 82 HEGARI.... 47
African millet _ 72 Heileman milo 57
AJAX 49 Higear 48
Aksarben Special broomcorn 80 Higeary 48
Algeria __ 61 Higrain wheat 48
ATLAS SORGO _ 76 Hoefling's Curly Leaf White Gyp 46
Austrian broomcorn.. 80 Hog maize 59
Honey Drip 71
BEAVER _ 59 HONEY SORGO 71
BISHOP 61 Hydro kafir 52
Black Amber 67
Black-chaff kafir corn ___ 50 Illinois Favorite broomcorn 80
Blackhull white kafir _ 50
Black Jap broomcorn __ 80 Jap Dwarf broomcorn 82
BLACK SPANISH BROOMCORN 80 Japanese broomcorn 80
BLACK SPANISH DWARF BROOM- Japanese Cane 72
CORN 82 JAPANESE DWARF BROOMCORN 82
BROWN DURRA 46 Japanese Honey Drip 72
Brown Egyptian corn 46 Japanese Ribbon Cane 79
Buff kafir 60 Japanese Seeded Ribbon Cane 72
CALIFORNIA GOLDEN BROOM- KANSAS ORANGE SORGO 70
CORN _.._... 80
CHILTEX. ._ 48 Late Evergreen broomcorn... 44
Chiltex kafir 48 Leoti Red 75
CHINESE AMBER SORGO 65 LEOTI SORGO 75
Club Head 65 Link Hybrid 73
COLLIER SORGO 78 Little Sweet milo 59
COLMAN SORGO 70 Long Brush Dwarf broomcorn 82
Combine milo 59
Crook-neck maize ___ 57 Maizo- 63
MANCHU BROWN KAOLIANG 55
DAKOTA AMBER SORGO 67 MANKO.. 60
DARSO. 63 Manko maize 60
DAWN KAFIR..._ 52 MCLEAN SORGO 77
DENTÓN SORGO 78 MINNESOTA AMBER SORGO.... 66
DESERT BISHOP 60 Minnesota Early Amber 67
Desert maize 61 Missouri Evergreen broomcorn... 79
DOUBLE DWARF YELLOW MILO. 57
DWARF BLACKHULL KAFIR 51 Oklahoma Dwarf broomcorn 82
Dwarf Evergreen broomcorn 82 ORANGE SORGO 69
DWARF FETERITA 47 PEARL KAFIR 53
DWARF FREED 62 PINK KAFIR 54
Dwarf kafir 52 PLANTER SORGO 73
Dwarf maize 57 Planter's Friend 74
Dwarf Spur 47 PREMO 48
DWARF WHITE DURRA 45
DWARF WHITE MILO 58 Rabbit maize 68
DWARF YELLOW MILO 57 RED AMBER SORGO.. 68
Red Egyptian corn 66
Early Amber 66 RED KAFIR. 65
Early Black Amber 67 Red maize 67
Early Blackhull kafir 52 Red milo 67
Early Orange 70 Red Orange... 71
EARLY SUMAC SORGO 65 Red Top... 65
EARLY WHITE MILO 59 Red X sorgo 77
Egyptian corn _ 45 REED KAFIR 62
EVERGREEN BROOMCORN 79 REX SORGO 77
EVERGREEN DWARF BROOMCORN... 80 RICE KAFIR 53
Extra Dwarf milo 58
Extra Early Japanese broomcorn 80 Saccaline sorgo 73
Sagrain 64
FARGO 60 Santa Fe kafir.... 52
Fargo milo 60 SAPLING SORGO 73
Fargo Straight-Neck 60 Scarbaugh broomcorn 82
Folger's Early... 76 Scarboro broomcorn 82
FOLGER SORGO 75 SCARBOROUGH BROOMCORN 82
Forty-day milo_. 59 Scarbough broomcorn 82
FREED... 62 Scarbro broomcorn 82
Schribar corn 46
Golden Drip 79 SCHROCK.... 63
GOOSENECK SORGO 74 Seventy-day milo 69
GROHOMA... 62 SHALLU 61
Gyp corn 45 Silver Drip 79
100
 COMMON SOEGHUM VAEIETIES 101
Page Page
SOURLESS SORGO 72 Tennessee Evergreen broomcorn 79
Sprangle Top 72 TEXAS BLACKHULL KAFIR 51
SPUR FETERITA 46 Texas Seeded Ribbon Cane 75
STANDARD BLACKHULL KAFIR 49
Standard broomcom 80
STANDARD FETERITA 46 WACONIA AMBER SORGO 67
Standard maize 56 WESTERN BLACKHULL KAFIR 51
Standard Red maize 56 Western Dwarf broomcorn 82
STANDARD WHITE MILO 68 WHEATLAND 59
STANDARD YELLOW MILO 56 Whisk Dwarf broomcorn.-- - 82
Sterling Dwarf broomcom 82 WHITE AFRICAN SORGO 76
Straight maize 60 White cane 62
Straight-Neck maize : 60 WHITE DURRA 44
Straightneck sorgo _ 73 White-hulled kafir corn 54
SugarDrip„.._ 71 White Italian broomcorn 80
SUGAR DRIP SORGO 79 WHITE KAFIR 53
Sugar milo _ 59 White maize— 58
SUMAC SORGO 64 White Mammoth 76
SUNRISE KAFIR 51 White Orange 72
Sweet maize 60 WONDER 49
ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
WHEN THIS PUBLICATION WAS LAST PRINTED

Seoretary of Agriculture HENRY A. WALLACE.

Under Secretary REXFORD G. TUGWELL.
Assistant Secretary ^_- M. L. WILSON.
Director of Extension Work C W. WARBURTON.
Director of Finance W. A. JUMP.
Director of Information M. S. EISENHOWER.
Director of Personnel W. W. STOCKBERGER.
Director of Research JAMES T. JARDINE.
Solicitor MASTíN G. WHITE.
Agricultural Adjustment Administration H. R. TOLLEY, Administrator.
Bureau of Agricultural Economics A. G. BLACK, Chief.
Bu^reau of Agricultu/ral Engineering S. H. MOCRORY, Chief.
Bureau of Animal Industry , JOHN R. MOHLER, Chief.
Bureau of Biological Survey IRA N. GABRIELSON, Chief.
Bureau of Chemistry and Soils HENRY G. KNIGHT, Chief.
Bureau of Dairy Industry O. E. REED, Chief.
Bureau of Entomology cmd Plant Quarantine^ LEE A. STRONG, Chief.
Office of Experiment Stations JAMES T. JARDINE, Chief.
Food and Drug Administration WALTER G. CAMPBELL, Chief.
Forest Service FERDINAND A. SILCOX, Chief.
Grain Futures Administration J. W. T. DUVEL, Chief.
Bureau of Home Economics LOUISE STANLEY, Chief.
Library CLARIBEL R. BARNETT, Librarian*
Bureau of Plant Industry FREDERICK D. RICHEY, Chief.
Bureau of Public Roa,ds THOMAS H. MACDONALD, Chief.
Soil Conservation Service . H. H. BENNETT, Chief.
Weather Bureau WILLIS R. GREGG, Chief.

This bulletin is a contribution from

Bureau of Plant Industry FREDERICK D. RICHEY, Chief.

Division of Forage Crops and Diseases P. V. CARDON, Principal Agrono-
mist, in Charge.
Division of Cereal Crops and Diseases M. A. MCCALL, Principal Agrono-
mist, in Charge.
102

U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 193»