Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1912-03-14
RAISED BROOM CORN FOR
THIRTY-EIGHT YEARS.
(ay John P. Snyder, Aroola, IlI.l

During the past ~thirty-eight years
the writer has not missed a Y ~
broom corn. Sometimes seed il rais.
ca BY myself, and Ut other times
secured from reliable seed dealers il
Illinois.
My method Of testing seed is to
take a pan and an old woolen sock, c-
rag OF some kind. place in it about
On~e-hundred seeds. and pour warm
water over them, aud then pour it oa
just so as to keep the covering wet
The seed viii sprout in from twe-ty-
four to thirty-siz hours. II they just
about ali sprout. Il plant them. ana IL
not, seed il secured from someone
else, and tested III the same way u1tl
the quality VI seed il found that viii
just about al sprout-
Forty to sixty seeds Is planted to
the rod, and would prefer not to have
more than fifty, and over sixty on
the ground, depending however, upon
the nature of the land on which the
broomcorn is to be grown.
The first breaking is done after the
oats Is sown, and left lay until after
the Indian corn Is planted. then from
June first to 18th. according to the
season, the ground ~ narrowed to
make 1T smoother 40 that the disc
viii cut even. Should the ground 10
run together and hard, it ~ wen to
single disc, ana sometimes double
disc across the breaking. then double
disc the STRAIGHT way and harrow
until it is in fne shape. After this.
the planting is done and as a general
rule the corn comes up with an even
stand. and continues to grow even.
After getting MP. from one to three
inches, 1T should be rolled. This
makes the ground smooth and level
so that it does not cover UP. When
about three to four inches hish Eta
eight shovel pillow. on what III called
an "eagIe claw pIow" is used and very
seldom ever plow more than twice.
This year my crop averaged a ton To
three acres, with good brush. with
only one ploughing. If the ground IS
put in good order and not planted too
early, two ploughings are enough. II
ploughod too often it makes the brush
grow rough and shorter.
Cutting should begin about the ti1a
the bloom begins to fan, and should
be hauled i'll and the seed threshed
of after it lays ~ the table one w
two days, according To the weather.
ii tile sun is very warm III should not
be allowed to lay on the table very
long. as it makes the brush very brit
tie, taking the life out Of it. also the
weight; and color and weight should
be sought after.
The shed is 24x56 feet, ribbed uD
seven inches apart. with 1 x 4 inca
strips, using 15inch pieces Sinche5
long to sheIve the brush on.
Brush should De taken right from
the seeder to the shed, and shelved
uD, left On the shelf until dry enough
70 20 in bulk, then taken from tl7
shelf, bulk down and butted down
well. by bulkfng 1T makes the brush
hold the weight better, and better and
tighter bale is produced, and it staDG1
handling and shipping.
As to the variety OF seed, we have
planted the Tennessee Evergreen until
the last two years, when We planted
most Of the Austrian. as it grows
longer and is a better color. How
ever, think the Tennessee Evergreen
yields the best, and IF the weather
conditions are dry enough for tile
brush To head out and To cut and shed.
it IL long enough, and just as green.
Forty-five OH fifty years ago. wo
used the hand cylinder, and were com
PEELED to take the boots all Vii s1
we could hold to IT. Then the seed
was taken off, and we hardly ever
had any damaged brush on TIRE
shelves, however, now the majority
of the growers are in too big a hurry
and leave three-fourths Of the boots
on and about half Of the seed, an
place it in the shed TOO thick, there
fore resulting IA a Tot "a damaged
brush. II the boots and seeds were
aIl taken off az they should Ivy i.
would take o~ne-fourth To one-third
less shed room, and the boots and
seeds are what causes broom corn to
heat.