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7. Broom Corn (Sorghum Saccharatum,) is the next most 

 important crop grown in the county of Franklin. Its cultiva- 

 tion is chiefly confined to the meadows on the Deerfield and 

 Connecticut rivers, though there have been instances of large 

 crops in the interior. Deerfield, Whately and Sunderland in 

 particular grow large amounts of it ; and it is said that the pros- 

 perity of the last-named town is mainly attributable to this 

 product. 



The average yield under good cultivation is from six hund- 

 red to eight hundred pounds of brush or broom. One thousand 

 pounds are not infrequently reached. Six to eight hundred 

 pounds are reported as the average yield in Sunderland and 

 Whately. A crop of seed is obtained about once in four years, 

 and forty bushels of seed are considered a good yield. A res- 

 pectable farmer in the county informs me that in one instance, 

 he obtained one hundred and fifty bushels of seed to the acre. 

 It is planted in hills at a distance of eighteen inches between 

 the hills lengthwise ; and in rows about two and a half feet 

 apart, or at a distance wide enough to pass the plough or the 

 cultivator. By some farmers, broom corn is planted in hills two 

 and a half feet distant each way, and fifteen stalks are left in a 

 hill. It requires good manuring ; and is sometimes manured as 

 Indian corn in the hill, or the manure is spread. The culti- 

 vation is more expensive than that of Indian corn. No crop is 

 more beautiful than the standing corn, when in perfection ; and 

 it frequently reaches a height of twelve to fifteen feet. 



The stalks of the plant are long and hard, and therefore diffi- 

 cult to load on a cart. They are generally considered as of no 

 value excepting for manure. This, however, is an error. The 

 Shakers at Canterbury, N. H., among the very best farmers in 

 the country, are as careful to save their broom corn stalks, as their 

 Indian corn stalks for fodder ; and, for the feeding of their young 

 stock, deem them equally valuable. 



The usual mode of gathering is to table the corn, that is to 

 cut off" the top, or tassel the broom as it is called, about two or 

 three feet from the top, and bending the stalks of two rows 

 together, lay it down and leave it until it is seasoned and fit to 



