Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1909-09-24
RAISE BROOM CORN
Makes Fair Record in Face Of
UnfavorabIe Conditions.
Yield viii BE increased Several Hun.
dred Pounds Per Acre by Con-
slant cultivatlon--Llbersl TIN.
age Brings Soil Into Good
Physical Form.


II is a common practice with many
to grow broom corn with limited
amount of culture. Frequently the
seed is planted on freshly turned sod,
and the crop Is allowed TO mature
without receiving a single cultivation.
Although broom corn will make
fair record, even in the face of unfa
vorable conditions the yield will be
raised several hundred pounds per
acre by better cultivation. Liberal
tillage brings the soil into good ply
steal form; II facilitates the storage
and conservation of moisture 1t ad.
mits air to the soil and thus gives en-.
enlargement 70 the life processes
which are so essential
Fields to be devoted to the culture
of broom corn should be given timely
cultivation. The broom corn plant
may be grown on the same kind OF
soil, and Il requires about the same
early treatment as kaflr corn. Gen
orally speaking, the soil should be
plowed during the fall and winter
months. or very early in the spring.
A broken surface will certainly alb
| sorb more rain or snow than a
smooth, hard soil. This plan gives
the grower an opportunity to collect
| practically all of the moisture falling
upon the field throughout this period.
and in seasons where the preciplta-
tion is light, blowing, with proper cul.
tivatio1, will lessen the amount Of
moisture. Early ,plowlng also ;glves
the soil time to settle, and after II is
worked down lin the spring, n much
better seed corn be obtained than
by. blowing late. ann Ieiyjns late cult
vation
f. Some seasons very dry weather pre-
walls during the winter Under such
/ conditions II may be advisable TO pull
verlze the surface with a smoothing
harrow in order to keen the soil from
blowing 10 an excessive degree. 1--we
weeks prior to seeding. the field
should be given a stroke with disk
harrow, or some implementl which
will break the upper layer of soil ef
fectively. The, seeds of broom corr
are rather small and the young plants
make very slow growth early in tn,
season; hence II is desirable to ge
the soil into first-class filth befor,
planting season. After the ground hal
been broken with the disk harrow, |
smoothing harrow will assist in get
ting the surface into the prope
form.
Broom corn, like other plants in th'
same group, makes its most rapiI
growth In warm weather. The seet
should not be placed in the soil unit
the ground Is warm enough to brinl
about rapid termination. and pre-
sent favorable growinSi CONDITION Th'
suggestion has been made that tn
seeding period may be extended unti
the first of June Owing to the fac
that the brush deteriorates rapidly II
market value after II passes thu
l blooming stage, and since laborer
cannot be secured at will In man!
parts of the country, IL has beel
thought 10 be an excellent practice q
plant the field at different dates, Thi
ls true more particularly on farm
where several acres are TO be planted
Six to eight acres make a good -size'
field to, be harvested within few
days
II There are two methods of planting
Il which may be followed. viz, surfac
planting and listing. ..ISitlier o. thes
3 methods, n carefully followed, viii
4 give good results. In sections wher
. listing is practiced the soil should re
sceive some previous preparation, an
the listed rows need not emore tina
4 three or four inches deep This !
\ plenty deep eRhuish to secure all tn
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