The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-04-03
FARM AFT AIRS.
BROOM CORR-A WORD OF eau
TION.

We alluded last week to the state
ment of a gentleman that broom corn
can be profitably grown at half pres
ant prices. Mr.. W. 8. Goodln does
mot think 40 and in the article given
below gives his reasons for the faith
that is in him. Many North Carolina
farmers have grown broom corn. We
should like to have reports from some
of them for publication in The Pro-
gressive Farmer. Mr.. Goodin says:
Tread an ar ticle in a recent issue en-
titled Broom Corn" which believe
will cause many persons not acquainted
with the culture Of broom corn, to EN-
bark in the business of growing same,
10 their SORROW. will not dispu e
what he hes said about the yield per
acre, but will say that ! have been
familiar with culture of broom corn
for more than twenty years, and have
never known any one to raise crops
that would begin to approach such
yields as he states may be obtained.
The largest yields that ever knew, or
heard OF, was one ton per three acres,
and have only known three men In
twenty years who succeeded so well,
and that wss or rich virgin soil which
had been in blue grass pasture. And
the next best yields that ever knew
or heard of, was one ton per four acres,
and that was considered an e1 ceptional
yield. Generally one ton can be OBJ
tanned from five to elk acres, and that
is regarded as q good crop; often il
takes seven or eight acres to make a
ton; in such case it is entirely unprofit-
able. 1t is a crop that withstands the
drouth, but is easily affected by the
chincn bugs, and requires the usmost
care in harvesting and preparing for
market A few days. delay at harvest
time means the loss of crop, and if
shielded in tight barn may cause II
to heat and spoU, and under leaking
roof mears damage if not ruin. At
heRdIrg Gus time, if the brush prom
ises to be very long and foe, rain
will often cause it to drop over to one
side and grow crooked, which dimin
ishes It's value one half AS to meth
DDS of handling, il would require more
time than / now have, to write about
is. Oae point will make. We don't
use hand scrapers. We have horse
power scrapers. We have horf power
seeders which will seed from one 50
two tons per day when properly
handled.
Now, Mr.. Editor, I have written this
article hurriedIy, for the sole reason to
set this question right before your
readers, hoping none Of them may be
deluded into belief that they can raise
one ton OF broom corn per acre. In
conclusion, I would say to persons not
ramihar with the culture OF broom
corn, should not advise any inexpe-
Henced persons to engage in it this
year, for the following reasons: Let,
Because l believe that the high price
which prevailed last year, will be such
an incentive as TO cause thousands Co
plant, expecting to receive the same
price d, because it is a crno OF
limited consumption, 35 600 or S6 COO
tons tuDDlie7 the world, and IN the
broom corn belt OF Illinois, which con-
slsE o. me three or four counties,
t6ney claim that they can produce four
ulths Of the required amount and they
generally do. 3rd, because this will be
presidential elsction year, and broom
Sofn, like other commodities, will feel
GGe elects OF the monetary striDge eucy
Hnlcn will surely come as the election
approaches.