Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1860-04-19
faryntrG' Rrpartment.
Culture of Broom Corn.

Ems. RURAL NEw-YoRkER In your
issue of January 9TH, notice an inquiry
in regard to the culture and value OF
broom com. Not seeing any answer
from our celebrated broom raisers, will
answer to the best of my ability, prem-
sing that, although not in that business,
| am somewhat familiar with it in all its
details.
In the first place. tie ground should
be dry and rich the same conditions OF
soil being required as for Indian corn.
After the ground is plowed and Mrough
" puireri@ed, it must be marked ont in
rows, three feet part in one way, and
eighteen inches the other. The rows
should be perfectly strait, if possible,
as this will enable the most of the cul-
tivation to be done with horse. Plant
at the season for planting maize, dropping
from six to eight kernels in hill, AMI
cover about one inch deep.
As soon as it appears above the ground,
put on handful of ashes, or ashes and
plaster, mixed, if the ground is not
rich enough without such top-drcssing.
In about one week, the horse and
cultivator can be started, and the first
hoeing performed. Great care is re-
qured to do this well-if the ground is
wcedy, it is hard to distinguish the
broom corn from pigeon grass, "
barn grass" and similar coarse weeds
if the weeds are left, the corn gets stun
ed, and never will recuperate The
corn should be thinncd, when hocd the
second time, to five stalks in the hill,
aud the cultivator should he busily en-
ployed, to keep the ground mellow and
tree from weeds.
After the seed is, say one-half out of
tue milk, the corn may be tabled and
cut. The tablng is performed by walk
ing between two rows, and bending or
breaking the hills down, alternately,
toward aud across the other row, behind
the table; or, as some doit, 90 back
ward between the rows, breaking the
the hills down, alternately, us before,
across each other, ut an angle with the
row, of As degrees. The tops will then
usually reach over the table about far
enough to cut easily. The tables
should be 16 or is inches high, in order
that the cutter may not be obliged
to stoop 100 much Mt his work. A
shoemakcr's broad, thin knife, is the
best to cut with. The cutting is per-
formed by taking hold of the brush, or
tops, and cutting the stalk about eight
inches from the brush. 1t requires
much skill aud practice to cut rapidly
and easily. The brush should be left
for few days on the tables. to dry tho
roughly-it is then bound in bundles
and housed. The seed can be scraped
off at any time when convenient. Good
seed is worth, for feeding purposes, about
the same as oats Good seed, well
ripeucd, and fit for planting, is worth
here, usually. "a per bushe. The aver
age worth of brush here, is about $3.50
per tun. Brooms, from such brush,
FELL here, II ,reN made, for So % for
second quality, and 50 for the first quail
ity.
do not know the exact cost ofraising,
but it is just about double the work that
it is to raise maize Tho average crop
per acre. on good land, is 1000 pounds
Rich, lcsi-cuitin:sd land will give 1900
pounds per acre. The crop is under
the control of the cultivator us much as
is Indian corn, and good farmers will
always get good crops. The best fel til
izer is good barn-yard manure to be APP
piled rs for Indian corn. The stalks are
usually plowed under for manure; but
some few take pains to pull the fodder,
MS used to be the custom in the south
west Probably the best way to do this
is to let the cows into the field, for an
hour each day, after the brush is harves-
ted. and let them pull their own folder.
It's equal to the famed sorghum, or to
''sowed corn" for the purpose of increa-
sing the.ycld of milk, as long as it
lasts.
d. \ 4. NiCnoLs
T,s,n,li ". !. 1860.