lo Nov., 1911-] 



The Broom Fibre Industry. 



777 



If all labour is paid for, the cost of growing will be as follows 



Ploughing twice, and harrowing ... 



Seed (4 lbs. per acre) . . 



Sowing 



Horse-hoeing (three times between rows) 



Harvesting 



Curing and threshing 



Baling for market 



Winnowing seed (three bags at is.. 



Bags ... . • •■ . 



Sundries, including wire, twine, &-c. 



I 



15 



o 10 

 o 10 

 o 3 



O I 



3 I? 



Leaving a profit of ^"5 i; 



rod. 



\Vhere the grower has his own labour 

 and that of the members of his family, 

 much of the foregoing expenditure- 

 would be saved, and with heavier yields 

 than those taken for an estimate, the 

 returns would be considerably enhanced. 

 Growers on the King River reckon thi- 

 net average returns at from jQd to ^8 

 per acre. 



Fodder Value. 

 Besides the utility ot broom corn for 

 manufacturing purposes, it has a high 

 fodder value. The crop should br 

 harvested before it is thoroughly ripe 

 and the stalks made into silage. On 

 analysis, the quality of the latter is equal 

 to maize; cattle eat it greedily and 

 thrive upon it. The stalks are more 

 easily harvested than maize for this pur 

 pose, and can be handled better for the 

 chaff-cutter. The seed, which is of value 

 as fowl feed, and for pigs, contains a 

 fair percentage of oil and flour. As its 

 properties, however, are fattening, it is 

 not conrlucive to egg-laying when fed to 



poultry. Horses do well on the seed for winter feed, but care must be 

 taken to have it well cleaned and winnowed, otherwise the dust is liable 

 to have bad effects. 



Prospect.s. 



As stated previously, the fibre is utilized in the manufacture of 

 American brooms ; whisks are also made. Mr. Albert Gates, of North 

 MellxHirne, one of our largest manufacturers, to whom I am indebted f<ir 

 [)h()tographs of the finished article, states that the market for whisks is 

 a growing one, and that he is compelled to import fine te.xtureil fibre for 

 their manufacture. He has, however, obtained for the purjiose .some 

 locally-grown fii)re of wiiich he thinks highlv. He is of ojiinion that 

 the growing of fine fibre would pay, as the price per ton would l>e con 

 siderablv higlu-r. ranging to J[^^^o per t'ni. 



10. AMERICAN HKOO.MS 



VICTORIAN MANUFACTURE. 



