The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1900-03-16
A Word About Broom Corn.
Griffin, Kansae, Jan 30, 1900

EDIroB REGIsTER:-Enc fiud
a short article from the University of
Illinois on brOum corn. My exper-
fence of fifteen years In raising broom
corn in Kansas conviuces me that
said article is as fitting to Kansas as
to Illinois farmer, and If the warn
ing could be PIT before every Kansas
farmer and be headed by them it
would save great disaster to many of
them
In he fifteen years l have raieed
broom corn it has been an iuvariable
rule that high prices one year brings
very low prices the next, and the
higher the price he high year, the
lower the next. The pteseNt price is
about SIS ton more than it has been
in fifteen years And yet 1t has two
or three times been high enough to
bring the next crop down to $50 per
ton or about One-half the cost of pro
duction.
There will ne broom corn enough
raised in the United States this year
to supply the demand for five or six
years. 1t will be raised at cost to
the farmer Of about an average of $50
per ton and will either be held off the
market for three OF four years or sold
to the speculatur at about $l5 to S25
per ton
The University of Illinois Is trying
to avert the calamity to Illinois
farmers and it will DO much worse in
Kansas for the following reasons:
Chicago IL the broom corn market
OF the United States and when there
is a surplus in Kansas it must be- sold
at Chicago prices, less about $l5 per
ton shipping expenses. Three acres
OF the Illinois land with favorable
season and proper culture will pro-
duce ton, while 1t takes about four
or five acres of our Kansas land to do
it,. Besides the Illinois broom corn
always commands higher price in
Chicago than the Kansas product.
1t il pretty clear that broom corn is
sure to be a pretty good thing to let
alone the coming year, especially in
Kansas. G. w GRIFFIN
The article to which MIR. Griffin re-
fers in the above very sensible letter,
is as follows:
NO Monty IN BROoMCoRN
The extremely high price of broom
corn has aroused public interest Ia
this crop to such an extent the de.
partment OF agroncmy Of the Uni
versity of Illinoia ie preparing hui.
letin on broomeorn raising as a suit
able industry for Illinois farmers.
Among the facts brought out and the
conclusions reached the following are
some of the most importAnt:
Broomcorn IL close relative OF In
dian corn, and houriBbes under the
same conditions. Illinois is there
fore, well adapted to the production
of the crop, especially the central por.
tion Of the state. The preparation OF
the ground for broomcorD is much the
same for Indian corn. Broomeorn rs.
quires more attention
To produce ton of broomcorn un-
der fair conditions requires about
three acres of ground. The cost Of
the production under fair conditions
! IL $40 ton, and the average selling
price is $50 IA ton, though it has sole
rs low as SO. The crop requires an
immense force at harvesting, the
thrashing gang numbering not less
than twenty, ana the harvesting sea.
son attracts many LAHORE r to the com
munity.
The busiuesa requires a specia
outfit OF tools and sh DIS costing fSO(
to 81 900, which are OF little or nc
value for other purposes The crop
at best, is IA precarious one. 1t may
be ruined by few days of bac
weather, and its successful growth
and harvesting require high degree
of knowledge and skill.
The worlds consumption of broom
brush is 80 600 tons, and there can be
no sudden increase, it liz used for bu
one purpose. These 10000 tons are
produced on l24, 600 acr es, or less thar
six townships of land. Two-thirds o
the broomGorn of the world Is grown
in four counties IN Illinois, Douglas
Coles, Moultrie and Edgar, with Ar
cola as the most important shipping
point.
In favorable years these countie
have produced $4,000 tons, or prac
tically the worlds supply. The ter
rltory and the men already engage,
in broom corn growing GOULD easil.