The Brunswick times. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 188?-1900, 1900-04-08
PLANTING BROOM CORN
TT THRIVEs BEST on THE LAND
WHERE OUR NATIVE CORN
GROWS BEST.
PREPARATION on THE SOIL
It Must BE Well Broken and Ma
nured-Seed Make Good Feed
When Mixed With Oats.

and native Of the East IndisG The
introduction Of this plant IL attributed
70 DR.. franklin, who. finding seed on
q whisk-broom that had boon imported,
planted It, and from this originated the
culture Of broom corn" in the United
Statea The average product Of brush
per acre Is about 900 pounds. There has
been produced from very fine soil and
locality az high as 1000 pounds per
acre. As there seems to BE- no substi.
tpte for broom-oorn brush, there il
always demand for il. and it is crop
that can be easily cultivated. Il is .
profitable one for the farmers to raise
Ia those sections to which it is well
adapted.
The seed makes very good feed for
horses when mixed with oats It il
also fine food for poultry. after the
chicks are two or three weeks old, when
fed with other food. When ground
with our common Indian corn in pro.
portion 70 three bushels Of broom corn
70 one Of Indian corn, it makes good
food for cattle, hogs or sheep
Generally speaking. broom-corn grows
best where our native corn grows best,
and the preparation Of tho land IL SINH.
lar to that for corn. Good river or
branch bottom land is best suited to this
plant; but any good land. well drained,
wiil, with barnyard manure or a good
fertilizer, make good yield. The bet
ter plan is to broadcast the manure.
plow and harrow the same so as to pal
verize the soil thoroughly. Plant in the
drills or in hiila
The rows may be from thrse 10 four
fest according 70 ths variety to be
esown the dwarf varieties in three feet
ro#a and the larger varieties in fonr.
ewa Tbs hills may b. two Ok
ga sRs Sec ~
d and well IApenad twn quarts VIZ
cient 30 plant one acrs. Be sure
good seed You can use the seed.
sssssssslls shas Will plant small seed. % 4
only few acres are to BE- planted, ron
can plant with the hand. The cultiva-
sion is similar 20 that Of corn. only yuu
have to use more care and skill because
Of the smallness Of the plant Thinning
should BE- done when the plants are two
Or three inches high. leaving i've Or six
in the hill, or II drilled. the stalks
should be left three or four inches apart.
The time OF harvesting will depend
upon the use to be made Of the crop.
When you plant only for the broom
corn brush. you may cut much earlier
than when the seed is one Of she objects
sought. When the blossoms begin to
fall, you may begin your harvesting,
that is. If the brush is the object sought
The quality Of the brush is better when
cut on the green order, for the reason
that it makes the straw tough and gives
il a live. color, and accordingly com.
mands a better price in the markss
Before harvesting it IL customary to
break down the stalks, turning down
the tops OF the stalks OF two rows TO.
wards each other, thus leaving vacant
place for the laborer co work in cutting.
The stalks are broken about three feet
above the ground, and when ths stalks
of two rows are turned towards each
other. she stalks Of one row will cross
those of the other in such a manner as
the tops will project about a foot on
each side
Each two rows are then broken ia
the same way until the crop has been
finished. This will leave space
through which the harvester can pass
in cutting the brush, which is usually
done Immediately after the crop lie
broken. The dwarf varieties do not re-
quirs the breaking process as the stalk
Is low and the bunch is not 90 long and
heavy. Cut the brush so as TO leave
only 5 or 10 inches Of che stalk below it
and no leaves. These should be laid in |
small bundles as cut and then gathered |
up and placed under shelter. 1t Is best
not to cure it in the sun. Do not allow
any rain to fall on the brush after out
ting. Cure in the shade, under shelter
il possible When extensive crops Ars
grown special barns are built for this
purpose, with extensive shelving. so
that the air can pass through the brush,
that it may not mold or be damaged. |
Where the brush is harvested green the |
seed is generally separated from It be-
fore curing This is done with hand !
machine made for the purpose. It can
also be done by the grain threshing ma
chine by holding the head to the cylin-
der and not permitting the brush TO be
drawn in. The broom corn stalk. when
cut at the proper time, makes 8 fairly
good coarse forage and compares favor
ably with corn stalk forage.
In preparing the broom corn brush for
market, it can either be baled Ia the COM
mon cotton press or in a press for bal!nR
hay. When the brush is baled IN th@
xvav il can be rnuch mora sae;1x hmw-