22 



better results would probably have been obtained by sowing in 

 September. On October 31st the seedlings were thinned out, 

 leaving only about half a dozen of the strongest plants to each 

 hole. The plot was kept carefully weeded, and the corn started 

 to flower early in the following December. The first brush was 

 cut on December 16th, and two other cuttings were subse- 

 quently made, one on December 20th, and the other on 

 December 29th, making three cuttings in all. It was found 

 that the whole crop, from the time of sowing to harvesting, 

 required only about eleven weeks. This is an important 

 consideration. 



" With regard to cutting and harvesting the brush, care 

 must be taken to reap it at the right time. This occurs when 

 the anthers, or, as they are popularly termed, the blossoms fall 

 off, and before seed is formed. If the seed is allowed to form, 

 the brush, when cured, will be hard and brittle ; but, on the 

 contrary, if cut at the right stage it will be tough and elastic. 

 A good deal also depends on the colour of the brush. The best 

 brush is of a light green colour when cured. In order to obtain 

 this colour the stalks when cut must be carefully dried in a 

 shed or store-room. If they are allowed to dry in the sun they 

 turn brown, and are of much less value. 



In favourable weather the brush takes three or four days to 

 cure. It is then cleaned. This process consists in removing 

 the hulls and immature seeds by putting the heads of brush 

 through a toothed piece of board nailed to a bench. Where 

 broom-making is carried out on a large scale special separating 

 machines are used. These machines, or rather the part which 

 could not be made locally, could readily be imported at, I 

 understand, a low cost. 



A iry soil on which Guinea corn thrives would probably be 

 suitable for broom corn. There are several varieties of broom 

 corn, most of which have been improved by selection in order- 

 to obtain a heavy yield and a long straight brush of good 

 quality. 



The trial plot ( t L q acre), harvested at end of last year, gave 

 just over 50 lbs. of cured and scraped brush. The average 

 yield in the United States is reported to be from 500 to 600 lbs. 

 of brush to the acre. . . . The actual manufacture of 

 krooms and brushes can easily be learned. . . . The 

 industry specially commends itself to peasant proprietors who, 

 with a little practice, would soon be able to manufacture the 

 brooms for themselves. I have shown the locally-made speci- 

 mens to a merchant here, who informs me that he would be 

 willing to purchase a fair quantity of brooms like the samples 

 for retail purposes. 



