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, Mexae Kansas, Colorado, New Mex 4 
ico, and Illinois. (See table, page 2.) ua 
Some of the principal marketing points in these States at present 4 
are as follows: 
Arcola, Ill. Fairview, Okla. | Mattoon, Tl. 
Alice, Tex. 5 Guymon, Okla. McAllen, Tex. 
Beeville, Tex. Holly, Colo. Portales, N. Mex. - 
Charleston, Ill. 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 lke 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 Seen important. For example, if manele 4 
turers have large quantities of short brush toward the close of the — 
