The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1856-04-09
From the Southern Farmer.
. CULTIVATION or BROOM CORN.

CULTIVATION OF BROOM CORN.
In late number of the Farmer We pub.
lished a communication on the culture Of
broom corn--a subject on which we have for
some time past endcayored to collect such H.
formation as wnald justify us in recomaleni-
ing tlo our friends. From the fimmeuse
number Of brooms sold In the various markets
Of the country, and the constantly increasing
demand for them, it is evident that the pro.
hts derived from their manufacture must be
very great. At The n0rti, the business Of
broom making is, 10 great extent, in the
hands Of those industrious communities known
by the name Of Shakers. In Virginia we have
hcar,l Of only one establishment-that Of
Messrs. Luck 4. Lincoln Of Cbris,iansburg,
The quality Of the article madc@n their fac
tory, Is, we understand, very superior; but we
are not aware that it has found its way into
our markets.
Nothing is more easy OF culture in this eli
mate than the broom corn, and it only re-
qnires that there should be demand for the
brush 10 make the crop, per acre, as protiia-
bic as tobacco OF any nther crop. In other
parts Of the conntry The brush is, for the most
part, raiscts by the farmers. and sold at so
much per pound 10 The manufacturer. But
with suitable and simple machine for max
ing the bruons, there is no reason why the
whole operation should not be conducted on
the farm. amongst such persons at least WIN
possess little mechanical ingenuity. Such
machine has, we understand, been invented
and patented by very ingenious gentleman
Of Powhatsn, who. after fully investigating
the merits Of the subject, has cume 10 the
conclusion that the cultivation Of the corn
and manufacture Of brooins may be made the
source Of avery handsome profit. AT an early
day we hope to be able to give more definite
information on these points, in the expecta,
tinn that some Of our pablic-spirited farmers
may be induced 10 make an experiment. In
the mean time we submit the following com
nunication in regard 10 the culture, which
has been obtained for rs by an esteemed cor
respondent, aud is from most reliable
source.
Ia reply to your inquiry about the cul-
tiyation Of broom corn, SC. The time for
planting IN this climate, New York, is from
ihe first to the fifteenth Of June. u is desi-
rable To plani as late as il viii answer, aud
have the corn mature, ON arcount Of saving
the extra cultivation and hoeing. We lraie
planting machine that Is drawn by horse,
& that plants or sows two rows at time. The
rows should be about ;! feet apart, and the
plants. from to inches apart in the rows.
We commence soon after the corn is up, and
scrape with common lnc all tie weeds lrun
I The corn TO the centre Of The space between
the rows-then 90 through with horse and
cutiyator, in week or ten days. We 20
through with the cultiyator say twice in a
row, then thin, weed and hoe the corn. pull
ing the earth towards the corn. After this,
we cultivate. or hoe, or both, rs needs may
require to keep the weeds down, that they
I do not choke the corn. The corn OF brush
shuuld be harvested before frost comes on IL,
for that will turn il red, aud hard frost will
nearly spoil il. We do not make much ac-
count Of the seed, for We generally harvest
the brush before the seed is ripe. Ii is laI
superior 10 that which is left TO get fully ripe
beIore il is gathered; but il left "a ripcn, il ],
worth. say iwo-thirds as much as a crop o.
oals, THAT is the seed, but il is very difficult
to cure. II will heat and spoil unless Kiln
dried or spread out very thin on floors.
The yield Of brush on the best ol land i:
from 500 TO 500 pounds per acre, and worth
for the last two years from 10 10 cents pei
pound; usually wnrth lrom TO cents.
I II requires the best Of land for bronm corn
and the brush should be dried 10 the shade
The stronger aud better lands prnduer u,
best quality of brush. Bruom corn suecccdi
best on bottom lands, but viii grow on any
good land