PRODUCTION OF BROOM-CORN 3 



178,584 acres, with a total production of 90,947,370 

 pounds, or an average yield of 509 pounds per acre. 



In 1909 the planting was 326,102 acres, which pro- 

 duced 78,959,958 pounds of brush, valued at 

 $5,134,434. 



Of the total crop produced in the United States 

 in 1879, the states of Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, New 

 York, Nebraska, Ohio and Iowa furnished 94 per 

 cent. 



In 1889, Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska and Missouri 

 produced 89 per cent of the total crop. 



In 1899, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, 

 Nebraska, Texas, Iowa, California and Tennessee 

 produced 96 per cent of the crop. Of these states 

 California gave the highest yield, 686 pounds per 

 acre, and Oklahoma the lowest yield, 276 pounds. 



In 1909, four states, Oklahoma, Illinois, Kansas 

 and Texas, produced 93 per cent of the entire broom- 

 corn crop of the United States. 



Table 2, on the page following, gives the acreage 

 and production for the years 1889, 1899 an< ^ : 99 of 

 all of the states growing more than 100 acres. 



A comparison of the acreage and production for 

 individual years reveals a great variation, accom- 

 panied by a great fluctuation in price. The high 

 price of $150 to $200 a ton which the crop sometimes 

 commands offers good profit to the successful 

 grower. His success induces a large number of 

 poorly equipped farmers to plant, with the result 

 that a large quantity of inferior brush is thrown 

 upon the market the following year. The poor 

 quality of the crop is due to the inexperience of the 



