CHAPTER IV 

 DATE AND METHOD OF PLANTING 



In Illinois and in the other states of the middle 

 West, broom-corn is planted from the middle of 

 May until the middle of June and harvested in about 

 ninety days from the date of planting. Where a 

 very extensive acreage is grown the fields are planted 

 at intervals of a week or ten days, in order to pro- 

 vide ample time for the harvesting of each field 

 while the plants are at the proper stage of maturity. 



The best date for planting will depend upon the 

 climatic conditions and upon the season, but under 

 no conditions should the seed be placed in the 

 ground until the soil is warm enough to insure the 

 prompt sprouting of the seed. 



Broom-corn will not stand as early planting as 

 corn, for if the seed is placed in a cold soil it will 

 germinate very poorly and give an irregular stand 

 of weak plants. The fact that it requires later plant- 

 ing than corn is a point in favor of the growing of 

 broom-corn, since it permits of a more satisfactory 

 and equitable distribution of the spring work. 



Method of Planting. In some regions it may be 

 necessary and desirable to time the planting with 

 reference to the weather conditions at harvest time 

 in order to secure a dry season, during which the 

 proper curing of the brush may be effected. In Cali- 

 fornia the planting is made about one month earlier 



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