378 THE FARMER'S AND 



of planting should be put in the hill, and old manure or 

 compost is preferred, as being most free from worms. 



Cultivation. The broomcorn should be ploughed and 

 hoed three times the last time when about three feet high, 

 though some hoe it when it is six feet high, and when they 

 are concealed by it as they are toiling in the field. The 

 number of stalks in a hill should be from seven to ten. 

 If there are only five or six stalks, they will be larger and 

 coarser ; if there are about eight, the brush will be finer 

 and more valuable. In the first hoeing, the supernumerary 

 stalks should be pulled up. 



Harvesting. As the frost kills the seed, the broomcorn 

 is harvested at the commencement of the first frost. The 

 long stalks are bent down at two or two and a half feet 

 from the ground ; and by laying those of two rows across 

 each other obliquely, a kind of table is made by every two 

 rows, with a passage between each table, for the conven- 

 ience of harvesting. After drying for a few days, the brush 

 is cut, leaving of the stalks from six to twelve inches. 

 The longer it is cut, of course, the more it will weigh ; and 

 if the purchaser does not object, the benefit will accrue 

 to the farmer. However, the dry stalk weighs but little; 

 if its weight is excessive, the purchaser sometimes re- 

 quires a deduction from the weight. As it is cut, it is 

 spread on the tables, still further to dry. As it is carried 

 into the barn, some bind it in sheaves ; and this is a great 

 convenience for the further operation of extracting the 

 seed. Others throw the brush into the cart or wagon, un- 

 bound. 



Scraping. The process of extracting the seed is called 

 " scraping the brush." Two iron horizontal scrapers are 

 prepared ; one movable, to be elevated a little, so that a 

 handful of brush may be introduced between them. The 

 upper scraper is then pressed down wiih one hand, and 

 the brush drawn through with the other, the seed being 



