El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-04-30

In comparison with many other farm
crops of this country that of broom corn
Sorghum yulgare) is very small. The
high price, $50 to S17O per ton, that
this product has occasionally command
ed. has caused many farmer to I'M
dertake its cultivation without first
counting the cost of production and
inquiring into the causes governing
the price paid for brush. The ease
~ it'll which the crop can be grown 20
harvesting condition and the fact that
fair crop is a third Of a ton per
acre make the industry apparently Iu-
crative, even at the ordinary price. which
about $50 per ton
The sudden increase in acreag e when
the price is high shows that growers.
Influenced by the apparent prospect of
! large profits are induced to plant ex-
, tensively this crop. In 1881 Illinois grew
. 1887 acres and the price vas SIPS per
ton. The next year 4S,O36 acres were
grown and The price was $50 per ton.
The acreage and price then remained
comparatively steady until 1891. when
but $50 acres were planted and the
price rose to SLY per ton. resulting the
following year in the planting of 2S,
333 acres and decline in price TO s94
per ton. 1t is not to be inferred from
this that the amount of broom corn
grown is the only factor governing the
price.
Annual Production Small.
The annual production is so sinai: in
comparison with that of the leading
farm crops that the commodity offers
an easy opportunity for speculation
which results in great fluctuation in
prices. The marked decrease in price
which follows when the acreage planted
is unusually large is due in a great
degree TO overproductiOn, but also TO
the production Of brush of an inferior
quality Growers who plant large fields
without an adequate knowledge of the
broom corn business and a thorough
preparation for taking care of thescrop
are sure to produce a poor quality of
brush.
The object OF this bulletin is to pre-
sent TO farmers who contemplate begin
ming the growing of broom corn some
facts that need consideration in order
that the attempt may not be finan-
cial loss nor result in placing on the
market poor quality of brush. II must
be remembered that the business pays
best when properly conducted and that
the growing and marketing of good
broom corn requires more careful atten-
tion and more implements than the
growing Of corn or wheat.
Description of the Plant
Broom corn belongs 10 the grass
A~A4AlS anu 10 the same SPECIES as 90
common sorghum used for making syr-
up and kaffir corn and Jerusalem corn,
grown for forage and for grain. 1t DIFF
fers from all other plants of the same
species in having ponicles or seed heads
with much longer. straighter and strong
er branches of straws- This difference
" herein lies the value OF the plant has
been produced by the selection of seed
from plants, possessing these characters
70 SskU8eat degree 1t is for the seed
heads or brush they are called.
which are used in the manufacture of
brooms that the plant is cultivated.
Groups.
Broom corn is divided into two groups,
known as standard and dwarf The
standard type grows to a height of 10
70 Is feet and produces brush from Is
10 % inches long. The brush of the
standard type is used in making medium
size and large sized broomS. such as are