HARVESTING BROOM-CORN 45 
The broom-corn is taken up from the bulk by 
small arm loads and after butting the brush (Figure 
14) it is passed to the man in the baler (Figure 16), 
who builds up a double tier with the butt ends of the 
brush to the outside and the tops lapping at the cen- 
ter. After the pressure has been applied, heavy No. 
9 wire is passed around the bale at five different 
points. It is necessary to use large wire to prevent 
the brush from being cut. The bale as it comes 
from the press is usually about 45 inches in length 
and width by 24 inches in thickness, and weighs 300 
to 400 pounds, with an average of about 340 pounds. 
Figure 17 shows the appearance of a properly con- 
structed bale. 
With a crew of seven or eight men a good horse- 
power baler will put up 10 tons per day. Manu- 
facturers are becoming more exacting in their re- 
quirements that the broom-corn which they buy 
shall have been thoroughly seeded and properly 
baled. An average-sized bale will make about 15 
dozen brooms. 
