The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-11-16
GROWERS
SCARF: OUT
THE BUYERS
NIGHT DERS HAVE
1rNcERY TIME NEAR
sEATTUcK
CROP YIELD SAID TO
Be RECORD BREAKER
flLi.hamo Taknc Ind In
Quality and Quantity
Of YIELD

riders organization in the broomcorn
district of Oklahoma has attracted
attention to the Importance OF the
broomcorne industry in this state.
The night rider demonstration now
appears to have been something OF
a Joke. but 1t served to scare up the
bayers who had been trying TO bear
the broomcorn market in order to buy
at lower price.
The growers story of the alleged
raid Is that the band Of might riu-
ers'' consisted OF twenty-eight boys
who bad h:Sa drilled for week Ds
members OF the Farmers union for
the purpose OF frightening the buyers
Into raising their price for Drash
which the farmers had for sale. They
solemnly filed through the streets OF
Shaftuck and back again, and a farm
er who was next 10 the game per
mjfted thirty bales of vroom corn 10
be cut open and scattered about W
add to the effect. A box OF matches
was also left on his place, together
with letter telling him not to try
70 collect the broom corn or his prop
erfy would be DESTROYED BY fi4e.
There we're 40 or 500 carloa.s OF
brush piled on the ground around
Shaftuck awaiting shipment, and NE
next night every buyer had guards
surrounding his pile Of broomcorn,
armed with every kind OF weapon
from an automatic rifle to carving
knife. During the night a report was
received that there were 400 mem
bers Of the farmers union just across
the river, all mounted. and that they
were getting ready to charge, but
they never came.
Shattuck Is Pre-Eminent
Sisaftuck claims to BE- one OF the
greatest broomcorn markets in the
word. western Oklahoma and the
Texas Panhandle are devoting more
and more attention each year TO the
raising OF broomcorn. and seem like
" 10 take away from Central illinois
As position OF pre-eminence as a
broom corn country
Most OF Oklahoma's broom corn is
raised in the northwestern part OF the
state in Beaver, Texas. woodward,
woods. Major, Roger Mills and Ellis
.eounties. All Of these counties are
IN the belt where the rainfall is rather
sparse aud. with the possible excep-
tion OF kaffir corn and milo maize,
broom, corn has better drouth resist
ing qualities than any other crop.
The rainfall this year has been be-
low the average, but the broom corn
crop has been good and the acreage
materially increased from last year
By reason Of the high prices obtained
for the crop last season. The per-
centage OF a full crop this year was
8s.1 against 59.S per cent last year,
and as the acreage showed an increase
OF 30.9 per cent. the total production
for the present year will be much
larger than for 1909. For that year 1t
Was II ,5s2 tons, and the indications
are that this years crop will be above
10000 tons.
Condition High, Price Low.
The merehantable condition, as
shown by reports of the board OF
agriculture. also is shown to be bet
ter than last year, 91.5 per cent
against ST. in 1903, but In spite OF
this the price is very much lower, and
the growers think that they have
good reason to protest. In the early
days OF broom corn growing In Okla
homa the price was much lower than
In Illinois. because less care was TAX
en- by the growers in handling their
produce. This year, however, the con
dition in that respect Is better than
In 1909. when the high price mark
was reached. but prices are as low
as IN the early days. although no de
crease In the price of brooms has
been made by the manufacturers.
Last year the price for first class
brush ranked from sl65 to s225, with
an average of over $l33 for the entire
product OF the state, OF all classes
This year buyers are boasting OF hav-
InK bought brush all along the Santa
re railroad for from $40 to $40 per
ton and only few small sales have
come we'll up toward the si00 mark
The crop both In Oklahoma and 9th
ar states is heavier than in 1909, but
the growers do not believe that there
Is enough difference in the price. The
result Is that many growers are hold
inK their brush for higher prices and
arc encouraged In this position by the
hoard Of agriculture. which expresses
= belief that better prices can be got
ten later In the season
Oklahoma last year produced near
=, .s..-,f -. ~ L.v1l.. era D. tbs coal
Try and received $2.s7s, 377 for H.
This year the production will be much
larger but tho total amount receiv
ii for Il will nos be nearly 50 large
x'n account of the lower prices thai