The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1910-05-11
Broom Com.
Clemson Extension Work-Article v.

Broom corn is species OF sorghum
grove especially Cor its tops which are
used in manufacturing brooms- The
crop is one about which inquiry is fire.
auently made by farmers and the fol-
lowing is written partly 10 answer 70
such questions. It is not q great rnonev
crop, not more so than cotton II equal
70 it, nod requires more IN the way Of
equipment for its handling, more labor
al harvesting tine, and more skill in
preparing it for market than does the
cotton crop. It is crop in which the
profits depend very largely upon the
quality OF the product offered for sale,
the price ranging from s25 up 70 about
500 per scr according 70 the quality.
Five hundred pounds OF cured brush per
acre IS considered fair yield.
The best quality Of broom corn must
be straight, OF good length, fne texture
and cured 10 such manner as 70 be 3
good green colcr when put on the mar
ke,. There are two kinds grown, one
known as the standard broom corn and
the other Us dwarf. This latter is grown
extensively in the central west
In order 70 secure the quality OF talks
mentioned above it is very important 70
have we'll bred seed aud it IS almost i,n-
possible TO buy such seed in the open
markets. Ooe going into the business
OF growing the crop should begin at once
70 select seed with the view OF imprcv.
ing .he plants from year 10 year.
any soil that sill grow sorghum will
produce broom corn. and the fertilizer
applied need not differ from tina. used
on the corn crop when the same quality
OF land is cultivated. Since the object
In view is uniform product in quality
and time of maturing, grea; care should
be taken in preparing the soil. 1t should
be well p,owed and then narrowed. and
reharrowed, until 6ne seed bed is Sc
cured.
Late planting is best on account Of the
fact that the young plants make very
slow growth when the weather is at all
cool. and the crop will come into head
ac season when there is no: liable TO be
much rain. The seed should be fer,iiiz-
ed with 3 planter that is adjusted TO drop
e few more seed than you want plants
flour TO FIVE pounds per acrel and under
such conditions of soil and season as will
insure good and quick termination.
Cultivation similar 70 wha, the corn
crop requires is ali that is necessary.
Weeds ana grass should always be KEEP.
down and the soil nulched with loose
earth by frequent cultivation with small
.oothed Implement % land that will
produce thirty or forty bushels OF corn
per acre oce stalk OF broom corn sh.-"'d
be left every four or i've inches aad
thinner as the soil becomes less pcodrc-
tive. It is important 10 have full stand,
as there is : great tendency TO sucker
When the plants are TOO thin on the land
AID the brush from suckers Is rarely OF
any value, and it not ready TO harves,
with the remainder OF the crop.
The tops should be cut eigh, inches
below the head when the bloom is fall
ing and before the seed are filed cut, il
the best quality Q! brush is obtained.
The brush is immediatel: hauled ou,
and the scec stripped of the same day.
The seed stripping, on large scale. is
done by machinery that NAV be pr-chas-
ed from manufacturers. 1nprovised
methods like the curry comb with long
tSStu Of SGSc1 SptoSe So'1o 1tS~aSi1co W
frame or side Of box answers very
well where there is only q small quausi-
ty OF brush 70 be stripped.
The curing, in order TO preserve the
green color, must be dore under roof
and away from The sunlight. The tops
from which the seed have been renov-
ed are spread in layers three inches
thick on la,:iced racks where there is
free circulation OF air When GO Juice
can be squeezed ou, OF the stalks by
twisting them. the curing is complete
and the brush should be removed from
the racks. This will require tro:n four
10 six weeks. L. is then bulked for a
period OF ten days ,r two weeks 10 GO
through .wea, when it is ready 70 be
baled. The tops should be very care
fully sorted ;uto different grades, as