400 FIELD CROPS FOR THE COTTON-BELT 



evenly, on every other table. Three men can harvest 

 about two acres per day. Later a team with a wagon 

 passes over the empty tables and the brush is collected." ^ 

 After the brush has been pulled or cut, ii is hauled to 

 the drying shed. Here the coarse or knotty brush is sep- 

 arated from the straight heads; the crop is then thrashed. 

 Sorting and thrashing often take place before the brush 

 reaches the drying shed. When large quantities are to be 

 thrashed the broom-corn thrasher should be used. Small 

 quantities may be thrashed by "scraping" the seed from 

 the brush by hand. After the brush has been thrashed, it 

 should be placed under shelter and permitted to dry 

 rapidly, especially if the bright green color is to be main- 

 tained. It is then pressed into bales weighing from 300 to 

 400 pounds each, and is ready for the market. 



1 Montgomery, E. G., "The Com Crops," p. 338. 



