lo Nov., 191 1.] 



The Broom Fibre Industry 



77. 



Threshing. 



The seed is threshed by means of a roller — a drum 2 ft. in length 

 and 12 in. in diameter This drum is studded with spikes which are 

 screwed in 4 in. apart, spirally or diagonally. The spikes should be 

 3 in. in length from the surface of the drum, and the distance between, 

 the rows from 6 to 8 in. A spindle with a pulley on one end is run 

 through the centre of the drum. 



The roller should be driven by any power available, at the rate of 

 1,500 revolutions per minute. The draught is very light. Hand power- 

 may be used, but some motive powder will be found best. Where a large 

 quantity is dealt with double rollers are used, the machine being generally 



home made. A ver\ 

 useful single machine 

 can be bought for ^10. 



The method of 

 threshing is simple. To 

 do the work expedi- 

 tiously, four hands are 

 required. The first gets 

 the fibre down, and 

 passes the stalks to the 

 second man on the 

 roller, four to five 

 stalks at one time. The 

 seed ends are lighth 

 laid by the latter on 

 the revolving roller, and 

 turned once. By this 

 action, practically all 

 the .seed will be taken 

 off. Care must be 

 taken not to thresh too 

 severely, as damage t^ 

 the brush at the end ol 

 the fibre will be caused. 

 It is better to err ow 

 the light side, if any. 



When finished, the 

 stalks are thrown on tfi 

 a table where a third 

 man grades the fibre 

 and ties each sample 

 into bundles, about 5 in. in diameter, with twine, and throws them on to 

 the floor of the shed ready for packing. All the crooked or bent broom 

 .should l)e kept separate, and two qualities made of the .straight. The best 

 in length and colour is made the first sami)le. and the shorter and slightly 

 inferir)r. the .second. 



Illustration \o. 4 shows a tine samiile of first grade millet, known 

 as hurl. The .stalks are rut oft" .ind the liiire put on the outside of 

 the broom. This is quite _' ft. of fine straight fibre and of good colour. 

 Some slightly inferior samples are shown in illustration \o. q. All of tiien-. 

 howe\er, are of value for working into the centre of brooms or for making 

 whisks. As they work in for the same broom they can all be regariled' 



4. FIRST GRADE MILLET. 



