Grasses and Sorghums 175 



Groups. Two groups of broom-corn are under culti- 

 vation, the dwarf and the standard. The dwarf grows from 

 four to six feet high, has a large quantity of foliage, and pro- 

 duces a fine brush from ten to twenty-four inches long. It is 

 usually made into whisk-brooms, although some of the larger 

 heads are made into carpet brooms. The standard broom-corn 

 grows to a height of ten to fifteen feet and has a brush from 

 eighteen to twenty-eight .inches long. It is used for the mak- 

 ing of carpet, stable, and warehouse" brooms. 



Cultural methods. Broom-corn requires a climatic condition 

 similar to that for corn. Most of the commercial crop is grown 

 in Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, and Oklahoma, Illinois being the 

 chief producer. 



Dwarf varieties are planted in rows usually three feet apart 

 with the plants two to three inches apart in the rows ; and 

 standard varieties in rows from three and one-half to four feet 

 apart with the -plants three inches apart. The date of plant- 

 ing is a little later than that for corn ; the ground must be 

 thoroughly warmed before the seeds are sown. Corn-planters 

 with small-hole drill plates are usually employed in planting 

 the seed. The soil is cultivated as for corn. When the flowers 

 are in full bloom the crop is harvested. In the operation of 

 harvesting, the plants are either cut or pulled, the heads taken 

 off and sorted, the immature seeds removed by means of a 

 combing device or a thresher, and the brush cured and baled, 

 in which form it is placed on the market. 



103. Saccharine sorghums. These sorghums are grown 

 for the production of sirup and for forage. They have tall, 

 leafy stems that are full of sweet juice. This juice, when 

 extracted and boiled, makes the familiar sorghum sirup of 

 commerce. Sorghum for forage is grown for pasture, soiling, 

 and silage. 



Groups. Of the sweet sorghums many varieties are under 

 cultivation, but they can all be arranged into four groups, 

 known as amber, orange, sumac or redtop, and gooseneck. 



