Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1900-01-11
THE BROOM CORN INDUSTRY.
The University of Illinois Issuing n
Bulletin Giving Advice to
Prospective Growers.

ST. Louis, Jan. Ga special to the
says:
The extremely high price of broom
corn has aroused public interest in
this crop to such an extent that the
department of agronomy of the Uni
versity of Illinois is preparing a bull
letip upon broom corn raising as a
BILE industry for Illinois farmers.
Among the facts that will be brought
out, and the conclusions reached, the
following are some of the most i'm
portant:
Broom corn is a close relative of Indian
corn, and fiourishes under the same con-
ditions Illinois, therefore, is well adapted
to the production of the crop, especially
through the middle portion of the state
The preparation of the ground and the
cultivation are much the same for In
dian corn, only it must be more thorough
ly done.
fair conditions requires about three acres
of land. The cost of production under the
best conditions is $50 per ton, and the aver
has Sold at low as $50 The CROP REQUIRES
an immense force at harvesting, the
threshing gang numbering not less than
twenty, and the harvesting season at
tracts to the community as laborers or
camp followers a swarm OF most undesir-
able characters.
The business requires a special outfit of
tools and sheds, costing $500 to ST. 900. that
are to little or no value for other purposes
may be ruined by few days of bad
weather, and its successful growth and
iharvesting requires high degree OF
The worlds consumption of brush Is
about $4,000 tons, and there can be no
one purpose. This 80, 900 tons is produced
on about 124 900 acres, or less than six
townships of land. Two-thirds of the
broom corn of the world is grown in four
counties in Illinois, viz, Douglas, Coles.
Moultrie and Edgar, with Arcola as the
most important shipping point. In favor
able years these counties have produced
$4,000 tons, or practically the worlds sup
ply. The territory and the men already
engaged in broom corn growing, could
warranted by the demand.
of an unprecedented demand. nor of
short crop, but of a slight increase in the
activity in a limited industry, giving rise
to peculiar market conditions. The grower
has not realized these prices, nor could
they have been established until after the
crop was practically out of the hands of
Attracted by large quotations. many
novfces will plant extensively the coming
year; the result will be an enormous over
production of brush, much of which will
be of an inferior grade. The production
little industry, because the demand is not
only limited, but small. Isolated ind1-
viduals and those remote from recognized
methods are at serious disadvantage in
their efforts to raise a crop, and should
they fail in the endeavor their loss is
certain to be considerable.
The university is interested in the eX-
tension of every industry suited to Illinois
conditions, and that will diversity the
agriculture of the state. but it realizes
that any considerable and sudden increase
in once that calls for special knowledge,
and for which the demand Is limited, Ia
certain to result in loss to the individual,
and in serious damage to industry.
This is not a favorable year to embark
in the business for the first time, and the
prospective grower should visit the broom
corn district and make careful study of
the conditions before deciding to go into
he industry even on a small scale.