16 BULLETIN 1019, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



during the busy marketing season is obvious. By so doing they have 

 opportunity of greater selection and are more likely to supply their 

 needs at less overhead expense. This desire on the part of some forces 

 the others to go to the fields early, so that few buyers are in evidence 

 after the bulk of the crop has moved. Realizing this farmers sell 

 early in the season if possible. The fact that a neighbor has accepted 

 an offer on his broom corn often induces another to sell. 



PRINCIPAL COUNTRY SHIPPING POINTS. 



Limited quantities of broom corn are produced in about 40 States, 

 but the commercial production during the last few years has been 

 within the States of Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, Colorado, New Mex- 

 ico, and Illinois. (See table, page 2.) 



Some of the principal marketing points in these States at present 

 are as follows: 



Areola, 111. Fairview, Okla. Mattoon, 111. 



Alice, Tex. Guymon, Okla. MeAllen, Tex. 



Beeville, Tex. Holly, Colo. Portales, X. Mex. 



Charleston, 111. Laverne, Okla. Shattuck, Okla. 



Elk City, Okla. Liberal, Kans. Syracuse, Kans. 



Elkhart, Kans. Lindsay, Okla. Texline, Tex. 



OPENING THE MARKET. 



In analyzing the factors affecting the probable prices of broom 

 corn on the opening of a market it must be borne in mind that this 

 commodity is not a staple like wheat, and that its commercial im- 

 portance has not justified boards of trade at big market centers where 

 the volume of business transacted makes possible daily market quota- 

 tions as a basis of arriving at values; hence dealing in broom corn 

 is attended with much speculation and there is usually a wide range 

 of prices. 



At the opening of the markets, which occurs in southern Texas in 

 July, the uncertainty of future market conditions is greatest, and 

 the probable prices become a matter of much conjecture and invari- 

 ably continue to be so until they actually are established. 



The probable production commands closest study, for on this de- 

 pends the demand at the close of the season, particularly with ref- 

 erence to kind, that is, whether "hurl "or " insides." If it develops, 

 for instance, that there is an extremely short crop, there will be an 

 early demand and generous buying, which on the whole tends to raise 

 the price. 



The probable surplus or carryover of the last year's crop is a 

 factor to be considered, and the kind of brush constituting the bulk 

 of this surplus is especially important. For example, if manufac- 

 turers have large quantities of short brush toward the close of the 



