AGRICULTURE IN DOUGLAS, COLORADO.—A correspondent in this 
county reports that “the grasshoppers made a clean sweep of every- 
thing,” except potatoes, which were an extra crop. During a residence of 
fifteen years he has never known such a failure, and he predicts that “a 
great many will have hard work to pull through till another crop.” On the 
other hand, the loss of crops is in part compensated for by an unusually 
good market for cattle. Nearly all beef-cattle had been sold for Chicago 
market previous to November 13. At that date, also, grass was un- 
usually good, and there was more than an average prospect that stock 
would winter well. 
_ Broom-corn.—It is but a very few years since the importance of the 
extensive cultivation of broom-corn has attracted the attention of either 
the farmer or manufacturer; but now in the Northern, Western, and 
Middle States it has grown into an important industry; and there is 
no reason why the Southern planter should not turn his attention to the 
same subject, and thereby awaken another manufacturing occupation 
among his people. There is no climate in the United States in which 
broom-corn will not grow with more or less success; and the mode of 
its cultivation does not materially differ from that of the ordinary corn 
or maize. And, like all other grain, its successful production is depend- 
ent upon the quality of the soil and the care with which the land is cul- 
tivated. ‘ 
_ For broom-corn the land should be plowed in the fall. This attains 
two objects: the frosts of winter ameliorate and make friable the soil; 
and the work is then done, and will not be liable to the delay of plant- 
ing early in the spring. This is particularly necessary in the Northern 
and Middle States, where spring-sowing is often delayed by cold rains. 
If the ground be well and deeply plowed in the fall, it will supersede 
the necessity of plowing it again in the spring. The ground may be 
then well harrowed, rolled, and scored out three feet one way and two 
the other. This is assuming that the ground is in good, fertile condition. 
If it be not, then it should be made so before plowing in the fall, by 
the application of barn-yard manure. Land cannot be made too rich 
for corn. Scoring the land out both ways enables the farmer to work it 
both ways by cultivators. If the seed be dropped with a drill, then it 
need not be scored. About three quarts of seed will plant an acre. As 
soon as the corn is seen above the ground, the working to keep down the 
weeds should be commenced, and it must be kept clean throughout the 
season. 
Broom-corn will grow from eight to twelve feet high, and its brush 
should be two feet long. This, however, is dependent in a great degree 
upon the quality of the soil and the care with which it is cultivated. 
After the cornu is grown to fullsize, the top is bent down at a point about 
one foot below the brush. This isfor the purposeof preventing too much 
spreading; and it should be so bent that it may be as little exposed to 
the sun as possible, in order to preserve its color. Whether this opera- 
tion of bending down the top be done before or after the ripening of the 
seed, must be made to depend upon whether it be most desirable to per- 
fectly ripen the seed or secure the best quality of brush. The plant 
being ripe and properly dry, the brush is to be cut off and hauled to the 
barn, and the seed taken off either by a hackle or other machinery. 
The character of broom-corn has, of late years, been much improved 
in length and stiffness, and persons desirous of raising it should pay 
much attention to the character of the seed. The brush for several years 
back has been worth in the market from six to twelve cents a pound, 
and the seed is worth about as much as corn for the feed of cattle. 
