1 Juxy, 1899.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 1 
: ¥ 
Agriculture. 
THE CULTIVATION OF BROOM CORN. 
HN Ores 
By DANIEL JONES. 
PREPARATION OF THE SOIL. ; 
A goop commercial fibre can be produced on any fairly good fertile soil. 
IT have grown this crop on red volcanic sandy soil, on light black lands, and on 
the more tough, waxy sorts of black soil. The prime essential is to have your 
land in good tilth, the delicate nature of the young shoot rendering it imperative 
that the soil conditions be such as to facilitate easy germination. In New 
South Wales the crop is chiefly produced in the Hunter River district, the 
deep rich alluvial flats contiguous to that stream producing luxuriant crops of 
fair quality, I have also seen samples of good broom corn at the Department 
of Agriculture, Sydney, grown in the interior of the colony, the product of 
irrigation from artesian bores. In our own colony profitable crops can be and 
are grown on any land that will suit maize or wheat. The land should be 
ploughed toa depth of about 6 inches, and harrowed to as fine a seed bed as 
possible. All rubbish should be turned in or burnt off, as this will materially 
simplify the operations of planting. Inthe event of sowing witha machine, 
the presence of such obstacles as clumps of weeds or roots of old crops 
materially impedes sowing and cleaning operations, and tries the temper of He 
farmer, as well as proving a hindrance to expeditious and accurate operations. 
In selecting an area for sowing this crop, some consideration should be paid to 
Broom Corn PRopegty -GRown. Broom Corn Improrerty GRown. 
