418 MONTGOMERY COUNTY, KANSAS. 



•is used, more seed should be planted, which must be covered 

 sli^Thtly, and, when started, thinned to about eight stalks in a 

 hill. A thorough cultivation facilitates a rank growth and 

 early maturity. If the ground is foul I do some hand hoeing. 

 Plenty of shed room should be supplied before the harvesting 

 be^-ins, and scaffolding prepared, so that the harvesting may 

 not be interrupted. I sometimes prepare store room by nailing 

 strips of lath on any boards, poles, or rails, about six inches 

 apart, in the form of a ladder, and then stand the ladders up so 

 iis to make a wall of them. I then put laths across to lay the 

 brush on, after it is cleaned. If properly put away, two thou- 

 sand cubic feet will be room enough to cure a ton of brush. 

 In the climate of southern Kansas, the same room may be used 

 for several lots of brush, and if taken at the right time and 

 cured in the shade, an article may be prepared that will go into 

 the market East of first quality. Most of the harvesting can 

 be done in August and September. 



■ , CUTTING THE CORN. 



I begin cutting as soon as the seed is fairly formed, unless 

 the seed is an object for feed. The main part of the crop I 

 take off by cutting about six inches below the brush, and draw- 

 ing right to the scraping machine. I scrape off seed immedi- 

 ately, and the brush I put upon the racks about four to six 

 inches thick to dry, while it is perfectly green. I thus secure 

 a beautiful pea green, and the hurl is pliable, lasts well, and is 

 sought for in the market. 



HOW TO MAKE A SCRAPER. 



I make a scraper by encasing a common cylinder of a 

 threshing machine with narrow stuff two inches thick, filled 

 with wrought spikes or nails, and mounting it on a frame 

 so as to revolve from the feeder. A rest must be secured to 

 protect the feeder's hands. This may be run by any power 

 sufficient to run it. There is machinery prepared expressly for 

 scraping broom corn, which can be driven by a small power, or 

 even a windmill, and the same power may be used for other 

 purposes, such as shelling and grinding corn, and sawing wood. 



