234 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Sepr., 1899. 
so as not to snap off the top, cannot, of course, be indicated here, but a little 
practice will soon enable the operator to make just the grip and turn of hand 
essential to quick work. Sometimes the stalk is so tough that, by simply pulling 
the top over the elbow, the bending can be successfully done. I have found that 
unless care is exercised, more especially if the stalk is somewhat immature, the 
top, instead of bending over properly, will snap off to the detriment of the 
immature fibre. 
When working among tall corn, it will be necessary to take precautions not 
to turn the tops down so that the fibre will come in contact with or too near 
the ground, in which event, on the occurrence of wet weather, the brush will be 
injured from contact with the soil. In turning down dwarf stalks, care must 
be taken that there be left a full 6 inches or 8 inches clear of the butt of the 
proom-head. In bending, it must be remembered that a clear, uninjured stalk 
is required of about 6 inches in length. I have known some new growers not 
only lose the weight in their crop by cutting close to the fibre, but, by this 
operation, rendering the product of less use and value to the broom-maker. 
The grower will, by experience, find how far this operation of bending is 
necessary. In most instances it will be found that a considerable number of 
the stalks will need no attention; hence, in such a case, the grower can pass 
over his crop very quickly. I would like growers here to give heed to a phase 
of the industry not hitherto dealt with, and, perhaps, this had better be reterred 
to in this place, as it will of necessity have some bearing on the manipulation 
of crop at the time of maturity. I allude to the question of the best fibre. 
It is generally conceded by growers and manufacturers alike, that the best fibre 
is that which is cut before the seed is formed, as at that stage the hurl has not 
become brittle and stained. The question for the grower to determine then is, 
~whether he can afford to discard the value of his seed for a more enhanced 
-priee for his fibre, avoiding, to some extent, the need of bending with a slightly 
aereased trouble in cleaning fibre, or, on the other hand, sacrifice a certain 
proportion of fibre to save the seed. A very great proportion of the American 
«rop is gathered before the seed forms, and the fibre brings, on this account, a 
thigh price, owing to its uniform colour and improved quality. These are 
-matters for the farmer to deal with as his own interests dictate. I am aware 
hat some growers could ill afford to dispense with the seed. These will adopt 
the more common plan of getting some seed as well as fibre, and be content to 
accept a somewhat lower price for the crop of broom-heads. 
ABOUT MUSHROOMS. 
By HENRY A. TARDENT, 
Manager, Biggenden Experiment Farm. 
In Australia, poisoning from eating mushrooms is, I believe, a very rare 
occurrence. I do not know whether it is because there are not so many 
poisonous yarieties in the colony, or because mushrooms are less used as an 
esculent. I find in a recent number of the “ Bibl. Uniy. et Révue Suisse” an 
interesting article written by Mr. A. de Zaczewsky, one of the greatest living 
authorities on mycology. As it contains many facts on the subject which may 
be of use here, I extract from it the following :— . 
“From the most ancient times mushrooms have been considered as an 
extremely healthy esculent. Modern science has confirmed that opinion. 
According to analysis made by the greatest authorities known to chemical 
sare by far the most nutritious of vegetable substances, not 
excluding bread. The proportion of protein they contain brings them nearer to 
meat than to plants. In addition, they contain an important proportion of 
agssimilable phosphorus.” 
science, mushroom 
