HARVESTING BROOM-CORN 



37 



be found a small percentage of crooked brush which 

 must be sorted out before the crop is marketed. 



The amount of crooked brush is greatly increased 

 if the harvesting is delayed until the seeds are well 

 formed, since the weight of the seed may become 

 sufficient to cause the straws to bend over just above 



the attachment to the . 



stem, as shown at L, Fig- 

 ure 3. The same result 

 may be produced by wet 

 weather just before har- 

 vest time. The weight of 

 water which clings to the 

 heads may be sufficient to 

 bend the straw down- 

 ward. 



In regions where the 

 seed is allowed to ripen 

 the plants are broken over 

 before the seed is formed, 

 so that the heads may 

 hang pendent and produce 

 a straight brush as well 

 as a crop of seed. 



The separation of the crooked brush from the 

 straight heads can be accomplished most easily 

 while the heads are in small piles in the field, where 

 it is easy to distinguish the inferior material. The 

 two grades resulting from this sorting should be 

 handled and marketed separately, since a few 

 crooked heads will lower the value of the entire 

 bale. The crooked material will sell for about half 



Fig. 12. Small power scraper for 

 removing seeds from the brush. 



