322 



CEREALS. 



foreign substances until the process is completed, and then 

 it is transferred to tight strong casks, in a cool celler, to 

 await the consumer. 



Appended is an analysis of some of the celebrated brands 

 of beers : 



Malt-making can only be prosecuted in the winter 

 months, or when the thermometer is below 45, as in warm 

 weather the grain becomes mouldy. 



BROOM CORN (Sorghum Saccharalum) . 



Spikelets' clustered or scattered in an ample panicle, each with one 

 perfect and one central or staminate flower ; without silky down ; 

 glumes russet brown, coriaceous; stems not hollow, pithy; leaves, 

 linear: ligular, short and hairy; villous, oblong florets, and yellow 

 oval seeds. Flowers in August. 



Broom Corn is a native of India, and was introduced to 

 the United States by Dr. Benjamin Franklin, who acci- 

 dentally saw a single seed on a broom, in the possession of a 

 lady friend, imported from India. He planted it in his 

 garden, raised a stalk, distributed the seed, and hence its 

 origin as an agricultural product in America. 



The credit for the industry of broom-making is due the 

 Shakers; who in 1791, at Watervliet, New York, first began 

 to raise broom corn in their gardens. This they made into 

 brooms, and sold them at 50 cents each. Their machinery 

 was very simple, and the handles were made of white soft 

 maple wood, and turned with an ordinary foot-lathe. The 



