BEOOM CORN". 309 



were formerly almost worthless, have been made worth 125 dollars 

 per acre. They have also, by deepening the channel, saving the 

 water of the springs, and securing all the fall, made a water 

 privilege, on which they have erected an excellent mill, with 

 several run of stones, leaving besides sufficient power to carry 

 saws for cutting out the handles of brooms, &c. 



They have about 200 acres of the flats in broom-corn. The 

 cultivation of this article has within a few years been simplified 

 to almost as great a degree as its manufacture. The seed is sown 

 with a seed-barrow or drill, as early in the spring as the state of 

 the ground will admit, in rows 8% feet apart. As soon as the 

 corn is above ground, it is hoed, and soon after thinned, so as to 

 leave the stalks two or three inches apart. It is only hoed in the 

 row, in order to' get out the weeds that are close to the plants, the 

 remaining space being left for the harrow and cultivator, which 

 are run so frequently as to keep down the weeds. The cultivation 

 is finished by running a small, double mould-board plough, rather 

 shallow, between the rows. 



The broom corn is not left to ripen, as formerly, but is cut when 

 it is quite green, and the seed not much past the milk. It was 

 formerly the practice to lop down the tops of the corn, and let it 

 hang some time, that the brush might become straightened in one 

 direction. Now, the tops are not lopped till the brush is ready 

 to cut, which, as before stated, is while the corn is green. A set 

 of hands goes forward, and lops or bends the tops to one side, and 

 another set follows immediately and cuts oif the tops at the place 

 at which they are bent, and a third set gathers the cut tops into 

 carts or waggons, which take them to the factory. Here they are 

 first sorted over, and parcelled out into small bunches, each bunch 

 being made up into brush of equal length. The seed is then 

 taken oif by an apparatus with teeth, like a hatchet. The machine 

 is worked by six horses, and cleans the brush very rapidly. It is 

 then spread thin to dry, on racks put up in buildings designed for 

 the purpose. In about a week, with ordinary weather, it becomes 

 so dry that it will bear to be packed closely. 



The stalks of the corn, after the tops have been cut oif, are 

 five or six feet high, and they are left on the ground, and ploughed 

 in the next spring. It is found that this keeps up the fertility of 

 the soil, so that the crop is continued for several years without 

 apparent diminution. It should be observed, however, that the 

 ground is overflowed every winter or spring, and a considerable 

 deposit left on the surface, which is undoubtedly equivalent to a 

 dressing of manure. 



This may be inferred from the fact that some of the flats have 

 been in Indian corn every year for forty or fifty years, without 

 manure, and with good cultivation have seldom produced less than 

 sixty bushels per acre, and with extra cultivation from eighty to 

 ninety bushels have been obtained. 



In case of need, the stalks would furnish a large amount of 

 good food for cattle. They are full of leaves which are nutritive, 



