4 MARKETING BROOM CORN. 7 
‘cabs . 
: brooms. If allowed to remain, it interferes also with the uniform 
| dyeing of the brush. It must be removed at the factory with hand-fed 
|| thrashers before the manufacturing process can be completed. This 
results in a duplication of labor, and additional expense is entailed in 
| hauling this waste material from the factory. The freight charges 
| are increased on account of the seed which is shipped to market with 
} the brush. These additional costs obviously lessen the profit derived 
| from the industry and are reflected in lowered prices for the raw 
CURING. 
Climatic conditions have been largely responsible for the marked 
difference in the methods of curing the two varieties of broom corn. 
| The Dwarf variety for the most part is grown in higher and drier 
altitudes than the Standard, and, owing to the limited rainfall, is less 
likely to be seriously damaged during the harvest. The possibility of 
ricking in the open and postponing the thrashing until other farm 
work demands less attention is inviting to growers in these sections 
and has been practiced rather extensively in preference to shed curing. 
RICK CURING. 
Rick curing is practiced extensively and is the preferred method 
_ where sheds are not available, but is far from satisfactory and fre- 
| quently the losses sustained in one season from weather damage alone 
| are as great as the cost of erecting suitable protection. Broom corn 
| should be sheltered from sunlight and rain. Rick curing does not 
| have these advantages and is not recommended where best. results are 
desired. The brush must undergo a partial curing in the field, and if 
_ ricked too green it invariably molds. If.the brush does not become 
_ weather-stained, the surface of the small-piles bleaches more than the 
_ interior, and the color is not uniform. This is noticeable in the bale, 
which, when marketed, brings a lower price. 
As a precaution against weather damage the entire rick should be 
thatched with broom-corn stalks or other material. When thus shel- 
- tered broom corn sustains comparatively little damage from weather 
unless severe storms occur. (See Pl. III, fig. 2.) 
_A method of outdoor curing which many consider much better than 
ordinary ricking is coming into use in some sections. A suitable | 
_ frame for shelving the brush, similar in construction to that shown 
in figure 1, is provided. Layers of broom corn are placed between 
the slats, the lowest being filled first. A layer is next placed in the 
space provided just above, and so on, until the rack or frame is 
- covered. By this method ample circulation of air is provided, thus 
permitting the shelving of corn that is comparatively green. With 
_ favorable weather the material is cured quickly. 
