The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1877-03-29
BrOOm.COrn Culture.

THE culture Of broom corn for the pur-
pose of making the well-known and use
full household implement appears to have
originated in America, but just how or
when it would be difficult to determine.
Varieties of broom corn or Indian millet
have been cultivated for their valuable
seed from the earliest ages, but it seems to
have been left for the Yankee to select
one with long brush or panicle, and, by
harvesting early, to utilize this part for
making brooms. The Yankee broom,
however, proved to be SO much superior
to those made of other materials that it
soon became known abroad, and now the
different kinds of broom corn are cult
waited in the warmer parts of Europe, al.
though America still leads the van.
1t was formerly supposed that our
broom corn was a distinct species of SOr-
qhum or Halcus from those grown exclu-
sivcly for their seed. such as the Durra-
corn of Egypt, the two. colored millet of
Southern Europe, the Black Indian millet,
and many other well known sorts, but of
late years our bOtanists have decided that
they are all varieties of the old Sorghum
culgare, which is almost as variable under
cultivation as our common Indian corn.
Of course, plant which furnishes a ma
terial for making so useful an implement
as the broom must not only be in great
demand, but, owing to the short life of
even a good broom, the demand must be
continuous.
Forty years ago the culture of broom
corn was confined mainly to the New En-
gland States and Eastern counties of New
YORK, with few localities in New Jersey,
but of late its culture has been extended
westward, the rich lands of the newer
States being we'll adapted to the produc-
ton of long and excellent staple. But
before proceeding to say anything about
the cultivation of this plant, we must re-
mind our readers that plant which is 50
easily raised and thrives over SO wide an
extent of country, is not at all likely to be
neglected whenever its culture can be
made profitable. Statements in regard to
the enormous profits to be derived from
broom corn culture frequently appear in
our agricultural journals, and while in
some Instances they may be true. yet,
upon the whole, they should be con-
sidered as sensational, or as rare excep-
tions to the general rule.
The cultivatOrs who have been the most
successful are those making crop of
broom-corn specially during a long
series of years, taking the high and low
prices as they come, not pursuing vacil-
lating course in endeavoring to ''hit" the
market just right every time. If farmer
desires to grow a small quantity of broom
corn for his own use, the transaction is q
safe and economical one; but before at.
tempting to cultivate this crop on large
scale for market, it would be well to con-
slider the subject carefully in all its bear
ings, in order to know in advance what
his facilities are for cleaning, drying and
baling the crop in the most approved
manner. The price of broom-corn fluc-
tuates greatly from year to year, and the
grower must take his chances of making
the crop rcmunerative one.
Rich, alluvial river bottoms, which con.
tain a portion of sand and gravel, arc
better adapted to broOm-cOrn than high
and dry land, however fertile. But the
rich prairie soils of the Western States
produce good crops, and with a little extra
care in the way of deep blowing, to in
sure the retention of moisture during
droughts, they answer the purpose ad.
mirably. As the plants when they first
appear are much more delicate than In
dian corn, greater care is required to pre-:
vent them from being smothered by
weeds; consequently it is well to select
land which has not become foul through
neglect in the culture of previous crops.
The more general practice with those who
make broom corn culture specially is to
continue the crop on the same land for
several years, and, by thorough hoeing
and cultivation, sutdue the weeds.
Manure may be applied to land not
rich enough to produce crop without it,
but it is better to select land which does
not require fertilizing, for the first two or
three sc asons, at least; and when manure
is applied, it should be of some kind not
likely to contain any great number of
weed seeds.
Some cultivators plant in hills three
feet apart, and others in drills. The latter
is preferable. as more equal distribution
of the plants in the soil can be secured
than when three or four are crowded in q
hill. The rows should be three and half
to four feet apart, and the seed dropped
about three inches apart in the drill, or
closer, and the plants thinned out at the
proper time. Seed-drills are employed
for sowing, the ground being previously
marked off, as is usual in planting corn.
About two quarts of seed will be sufficient
or an acre.
The usual season Tor planting Indian
corn will answer for broom corn; but it
had better be little after that time than
before, as the seed is rather delicate, and
. few wet, cold days after planting are
likely to rot it, SO that replanting becomes
necessary.
Broom-corn is cultivated much q other
kinds of corn, except that the plants,
being smaller, will require earlier atten-
ton in keeping down the weeds. The
cultivation is done mainly with . horse
ard light cultivator, but hand hoeing and
wedding must follow, in order to clean
out the ground between the plants; also
for thinning out, leaving one stalk every
three inches, or thercabout. The moro
frequent the stirring of the soil the better
the growth, as with other similar plants.
There are two distinct methods OF treat.
ing the crop. The first, and whst may be
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