Also 8 sorgo. [a. F. sorgho or It. sorgo, also surgo, med.L. surgum, surcum, suricum (1213th cent.), of unknown origin.] = SORGHUM (esp. 1 b).
1760. J. Lee, Introd. Bot., App. 317. Sorgo, Holcus.
1862. Ansted, Channel Isl., IV. xx. 476. It may be worth stating that the sugar grass, or sorgho, has been cultivated with success as an experimental crop.
1868. Watts, s.v., The glumes and stems of sorgho contain red colouring-matters.
1893. Watt, Dict. Econ. Prod. Ind., VI. III. 277. The Sorgho, which is mainly cultivated on account of sugar.
attrib. 1862. Miller, Elem. Chem., Org. (ed. 2), ii. § 1. 74. Cane Sugar is also contained in the ripe sorgho grass.
b. Sweet sorgho, = SORGHUM 1 b.
1861. Bentley, Man. Bot., 697. Holcus saccharatus is called the North China Sugar-cane or Sweet Sorgho.