The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1895-03-01
FARM AND GARDEN.
MATTERS OF INTEREST TO
AeR.CULTURIsTS.
ssne Up TO Data Hints About Cnltiva-
ten Of the sou and Yields Thereof
Horticulture. vitieulture and FlOEi-
culture.
Broom Corn.

Broom Corn.
Nr ". T. Williams OF Kentuekv
writes asking information on the cui-
tivatiop Of broom corn. The Farmers
Review VIII give a few Of the leading
principles involved in the culture, bat
would ike to hear from any Of its
readers engaged in this line.
THE PLANT
The plant itself is a variety of sor.
ghum and was formerly found only in
the East Indies There it IS grown
both for forage and the making of
brooms. for which object it is the most
useful It's introduction into the
United States is said to have been due
to the restless Investigations OF DR..
Franklin. On an imported whisk
broom ne found a little seed and
wanted to know if it would grow.
1t did grow, and produced q plant.
He took the seed from that plant and
planting them got more plants. That
was the beginning. Now the raising
Of broom corn and making of brooms
is an important branch of our economy.
For long time this crop was cult
waited only in New England. Later it
spread to the western states, where
the soil seems well fitted for it.
The average yield is put at about 500
pounds per acre.
PREPARATION OF SOIL.
Soil is an important factor, and that
soil best adapted to Indian corn will
be found most suitable for broom corn.
1t should be well drained and mellow,
and not so wet as to subject tito early
frosts in the fall or late frosts in the
spring. Wet, soggy lands will not do.
Even if the upper soil is right the SUBJ
soil may be so hard and retentive of
water that it will need draining to do
the work needed of it. Tow lands
along rivers are well adapted for the
crop, provided they slope enough to al
low of good drainage, Some of these
lands with a gravel subsoil have a
natural drainage. But we do not wish
to indicate that the crop is very par
ticular as tOthe kind of soil allotted to
it. 1t will, generally speaking, grow
on land where Indian corn will grow.
MANURING,
1t goes without saying that on most
lands this crop should be MANFRED.
Best results can not be obtained with
out giving the plant all the food it can
utilize The most available manure is
that raised on the farm, and when
farmer runs short of this kind
of fertilizer he should endeavor
to keep more stock, if only
to give him a cheap fertilizer
The manures made in the barn yard,
pig sly and sheep pen should be well
rotted, and if possible the weed seeds
should beabsent, for of course the land
needs to be kept free from weeds for
this as we'll as otaer crops. Some use
commercial fertilizers, such as guano,
while ashes, plaster and lime are ap-
piled in some cases where the land is
deficient in calcareous matter. But it
should be remembered that lime and
plaster are not manures in themselves,
and are only to be used in certain
cases. Manure is generally applied
broadcast, and sometimes an additional
amount is put in the hills or drills.
PLANTING. :-4e''A zsegsa;
Two methods of cultivating are in
vogue, in hills and drills. Probably
neither has mnch advantage over the
other. Those that advocate hills say it
is easier to keep the fields clean, as the
cultivator can be run both ways. The
rows are usually from three and one
half to four feet apa =, and when the
planting is in hills, ts.ey are two and
one half or three feet apart, but this
depends much on the variety grown.
This question can not lae settled by any
invariable rule, everything depending
on the richness of the soil, moisture and
consequent luxuriance of growth.
The richer the ground the further
apart should be the rows or hills
Care must be taken to get good seed,
as immature seed will give but poor
results, even if it grows at all. Even
with good seed many will fail to ger
inmate. Therefore liberal supply of
seed should be used and after the
plants are up they should be thinned
out; in the case of hill culture only
five or six should be left to the hill.
On the other hand care must be taken
not to SOW too many seeds, as the
young plants will then be in danger
of oYercrowding and being stunted be-
fore being thinned out. Some plant
ers put from fifteen to twenty seeds in
the hill, having them quite well sep
arated even then. Tne usual allow
ance of seed per acre is about two
quarts. This is of course if the see d
is good. When much of it is obviously
ooor an increased amount will have
to be used. More seed is usually used
in drill planting than in hill
planting, The time for planting
is about the same as Indian cosn,
sometimes a little later, at least not
till the soil is warm and dry. Ma
chine planting is quite generally
resorted to, though some even now
plant by hand. If the area is small
there may be little objection to this
method. Cover seed to depth of one
inch, unless the soil is unusually light
and dry, in which case it should be
planted deeper. Put in the seed as
soon as the ground is ready, that the
moisture in the newly turned soil may
hasten termination. It is claimed
that thick planting produces the finest
and toughest brush. Cultivators also