24 BROOM-CORN AND BROOMS. 



particular soil, best prevent crooked brush, and give 

 him the finest quality in all other respects. 



TABLING. This operation is preliminary to cutting, 

 and brings the tops down within easy reach of the cut- 

 ters, a point quite essential with the tall-growing varie- 

 ties. It consists in breaking down the stalks of two rows 



Fig. 3. TABLING AND CUTTING BROOM-CORN. 



towards one another, diagonally, so that the stalks of one 

 row will cross those of the other, and thus form a sort of 

 platform or " table," with the tops projecting about a 

 foot on each side, as shown in figure 3. This should be 

 at a hight most convenient for the cutters, which is usually 

 about 30 inches from the ground, at which hight the 



