Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1883-03-08
Raising OF Broom. Corn.


The introduction of broom corn as
regular crop of the farm has again been
considerably discussed and commended
In certain sections as being one of the
most, II not the most, profitable branch
es in general farming. We are fully
aware that the results of a crop when
carefully cultivated and a great deal of
labor bestowed upon it, are better than
those of many other crops; but all
things considered We are by no means
prepared to encourage its introduction
extensively. There are many features
connected with it that require much
labor and money to dispose of properly.
1he common barn or outbuildings are
not adapted to broom-corn. Open
sheds with Slated racks. will have to
be built somewhat similar to what is
used for the crop of tobacco; for, if
stacked in bulk it will soon mold and
lose its natural color, and as a mer-
charitable article it would be deprecated
to ne-half its value. Then
the seeds have to be nicely
cleaned out. which is not an easy
matter, as the ordinary threshing- ma
chimes will not answer, for they would
seriously injure the broom-straw; but
it. The threshing then is no mean job.
as it is both ,laborious, disagreeable and
expensive. There is peculiar dust
arising from it that is very injurious to
the lungs, so much so in fact that very
few can stand it at all, and those who do
or can are obliged to wear sponges over
their mouths and gauze over their faces;
and even the particles falling upon the
skin produce a painful itching, to which
the virus if the poison-ivy is a soothing
slrup in comparison. And after all
this is gone through with and suffered,
we come to the result, and now let us
see what it is. The broom-corn raisers
IL the west, where this crop is more ex-
tensively raised than almost anywhere
else, if we except a portion of New
York and one or two of the New En-
gland, States, who have been successful,
and who, of course, give us the best
figures, tell us that half a ton Of pre-,
pared straw to the acre is first rate
crop, and that the cash value of it de-
hvered is about forty dollars.
Now, it will be admitted that it is a
poor year for Indian corn that does not
yield S25 an acre to Western farmer,
generally. This is not so much as the
broom corn, certainly, but then there is
not half the labor, and of course not haf
the expense, TO say nothing of the very
trying annoyances to which the farmer
is subjected in preparing it for the pur-
chaser. We can, therefore, safely say
that, comparing one crop with the
other in growing it and getting it ready
tor market, $50 or even $50 per acre for
broom-corn would pay no better.
Hence, the conclusions drawn from
these factsar very different from those
submitted by the broom-corn grower,
which, as it is seen, will not bear exam
ination.
1t must be remembered that the re-
suit of profitable business is deter
mined by events, as at no business what
ever can any one tell with certainty
what he can make the most money.
The farmer and gardener should, in the
first place, attend to those things that
everybody wants and that are abso-
lutely sure to sell. AS ne progresses he
can try experiments that promise sue
cess, and include such specialties in his
series of crops as are likely to be in
demand: but in all such cases to risk
only to such an extent that he shall not
feel it in the event of disappointment.
A man of a fair, ordinary degree of
sense can usually see his way pretty
clear in these things, and will not be
likely to be led astray by any undue ex-
element in any new thing that may he
started by spectators. And one of
these things, though by no means new,
is the sudden clamor about going ex-
tensivcly into broom corn culture
Germantoacn Telegraph.