Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1912-02-20
TWENTY YEARS EXPERIENCE IN
GROWING BROOM CORN.
tsy Ira l. mllburn, osrmOt, kans.)

Ny experience in growing broom
corn cover a period OF twenty years,
having planted the first crop In 1891.
Have raised a crop every year since
then. with the exception OF 1888.
when the crop was a total failure.
owing TO the dry weather. Ny small
est crop was one ton, and the largest
twenty-seven ton. The prices receiv
cd have been all the way from $500
10 $4,000 per ton. II has been By en-
perience that any price less than
$4,000 per ton is a losing proposition.
IN this locality, as It is fifty miles to
a railroad and costs about 500 per
ton freight to deliver broom corn to
the market.
II depends on how much help a man
has, whether he should plant a large
or small crop. but consider that
twenty acres is sufficient for one man
TO handle.
The following is my method OF rats-
Ing broom corn. The selection OF
seed is the most important. A patch
OF the best brush should be picked
out. cut out everything that does not
show pure and good seed. Let 10
stand until ripened. cut and keep h
separate from other brush.
Ground should be prepared BY
either dlscing or listing In the winter.
any time that Il is not freezing after
the first OF January, which should be
followed by listing with blank listing
The seed should be planted about the
first OF May, beginning with a certain
amount according to the acreage, and
continuing 10 plant about every two
weeks until the goth. Of June. This
makes the crop come on In better
shape. and gives more time 10 harvest
the crop.
In this country. we use what is call
ed the Knife Sled. and the first thing
We do is TO follow with the harrow.
In a week or two the ground should be
narrowed the second time. depending
however, on the rain and growth of
the crop. When about knee high a
disk cultivator should be used. and
later. It is our custom to use four
horses to lay the crop by. The weeds
very seldom bother after this tina
Cutting should begin when tho bloom
begins to fan, and continue until I'm
shed. The field should be gone over
twice. as the brush dosen't all ripen
for the first cutting. Pile four rows
OF brush together, and mash down q
bunch OF sticks on which lay the
brush, This will keep It off OF the
broom corn. The brush will be ready
to haul in and place in the rick. In
from two TO five days, and IA hauled
on a rack 2 x s sixteen feet long. and
latter placed In ricks about thirty to
forty feet long. II should be placed
in the rick by laying the butts togeth-
er placing the seed out and gradually
drawing It in until one layer wide on
top. after which | place bound cane,
or some other kind Of feed to cover It,
TO keep dry and protect 1t from grow.
ing.
Seeding can be done at any time,
but should be done rs SCOT as pos
sible after II is ricked. The Chain
Seeder is a great deal faster than
the old style Hand Seeder, and after
the brush is seeded and bailed, 70
should be stored in sheds until sold.
About one quart OF good clean seed
per acre In u locality will Apply to
both Standard and Dwarf The seleo-
don Of seed is the most essential hing
In broom corn raising. and next
through preparation OF the seed bed
The more you can work your ground
before planting the better the brush
will be, and will not require as much
work later on. This method applies
TO Southwest Kansas, and may 10
suit all localities