Crossville chronicle. [volume] (Crossville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1918-05-01

HOW TO CROW BROOMCORN
Planting, CuItivating, Harvesting and
Packing for Shipment

oGhllS ioI O'ipii'e'u
1t IS important to select good seed,
that has hot mixed with other sorhum.
Best to get seed from some seed com
pany, that grows seed for the market
If carefully planted, two pounds will
plant one acre, but most people use
four or five pounds to insure a good
stand.
PREPARING SOIL.
The soil should be we'll pulverized.
Rows laid off three and one-halt teet
apart. Plant seed about the depth you
would sorghum. Cover with harrow,
lightly. In a few days the harrow
should be run over the ground to keep
ground from BAKING.
WHEN TO PLANT.
Broom corn should not be planted
earlier than the tenth or fifteenth Of
May, or two weeks later than the
average corn planting.
HOW To CULTIVATE.
Soon after corn is up the ground
should be gwen light narrowing to
keep the crop clean. Thin to one stalk
to every five inches.
BREAKING OVER TOPS.
Ii good seed is is.selected a very few
heads should need this attention as
only the crooked heads should be brok-
en- over. This should be done when
head is blooming. But growers give
this little ,r no attention when good
seed is pli led. Seed from crooked
heads viii usually produce crooked
heads.
Wbi en- no HARVEST.
Harvesting should be done before the
seed reacbes dough stage or as soon as
the ltiber reaches pea green color
throngbout, this pea green color will
begun at the top and gradually extend
to the center and duwn the stalk. II
cut before .itreaches this stage 1t will
be weak and worthless; If let stand
longer the fiber will be brittle and
make poor hrooms.
HOW TO HARVEST.
Cat heads ileaving about six inches of
stalk. Place heads IN small punches
on ground forvone day to sun, never
longer. Carry to barn or wagon shed
and spread in ,tiers three or tour inches
thick to prevent mildewing. 1t is best,
if possible, to thrash seeds imm edlately
after cutting or next day as it Is placed
in shed. 1t shoud never be cured in
sun as ,rt will make fiber brittle.
QUANTITY ALLOWED FOR ONE
BROOM.
About twenty la1ge heads will make
an average broom but if the small
heads are saved they can be used for !
centers and shoulders of brooms and
usually thirty of these small heads
equal ten large ones. Then thirty
small heads and ten large ones Will
make q good broom.
MARKETING
Make frame four feet long two feet
wide and standards three feet high,
place three pieces of baling wire
across at each end and one in the mid
lie, then place broom corn in care
'ully tapping the brush ends well and
eaving ends of stalk at out side even
when pressed in full as possible, press
lown with a leaver and tie wire. A
purchaser is easily found, as broom
.orn dealers and broom manufacturers
ire numerous.
ID. E. Smith.
Better keep this article for reference
md be guided by it in growing your
room corn. Brooms at close to $1.OO
ach are pretty expensive. You can
row the broom straw for much less
nd when you do that you will be help
ng worthy young man who IS blind ,
no Is making an effort to earn his ,
wing in an honest and independent
'ay. r
The young man we refer to is Horace 8
he lives at Maryland and has r
Gently purchased the necessary equip
1ent for making brooms. He is ex. G
Getting to make brooms on the shares. 2
ne tor another. If you wish to own 4
II the brooms your broom straw will
AXE. he expects to be able to make
lem for about one third what the .