1 Ocr., 1899.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL, 339 
the product may be formed. The cultivation and handling of broom corn call 
for much more push and more active, well-sustained effort than any crop I am 
acquainted with, and the farmer who is not prepared to push the work had better 
not contemplate going in largely for its cultivation. Not only is this true of 
cutting, but also of all subsequent operations, there being so much manual work 
involved, though light in ity nature, and therefore especially fitted for active 
lads, but it must be performed with expedition to secure profitable results. 
In cases where the crop is tall and has not been bent, I have found it a good 
plan to send a lad ahead of the cutters to turn down the stalks ; this is done by 
the lad putting his arm around several stalks and bending them down over his 
arms. This obviates the necessity for 
essi the cutters reaching overhead for the tops, 
and, as they have the work within eas 
y reach, much more is done andwith greater 
comfort. As before stated, the brush is lopped off from 4 to 8 inches from the 
base of the brush. It will also be necessary at the same time to pull off the 
sheath enveloping the lower portion of the fibre while in hand. ‘This is acquired. 
by practice, and, if the cut is made close to and wbove the last joint, the sheath 
comes off easily ; but if cut below the joint the sheath hangs on and is quite 
difficult to separate. Care must be taken’to ensure this being done; otherwise 
when stripping the seed off, the sheath becomes an impediment in cleaning the 
fibre as well as when curing the brush, 
Should the grower be cutting the fibre in its young stage—that is, before 
the seed is matured—care must be taken to avoid heaping the brush in large 
quantities, inasmuch as the heads may sweat = 
1 | [ " and become discoloured, but if 
handling matured fibre quite so much care is no 
car t necessary. The broom-heads, 
when the weather promises to remain fine, may with advantage be left in the 
5 
field a day or two, which will help forward the operation of curing. 
Some American growers describe a practice which is called « tabling” the 
crop, which consists in bending each stalk a foot or so from the ground, laying 
each crosswise over the other, J udging from my personal experience this 
method is not one to encourage our growers to adopt; hence I refrain. from 
treating on the matter, as T am fully convinced of its impractability having in 
view our conditions of climate and labour. The accompanying liiniaassatara will 
cive the grower some conception of what I allude to, Sees 
YEN h te 
MA oy tel Ma 
i)" vi eG 
ek tea ae 
set Aes 
TM 1h: 
ti 
iver 
ASS, Ne 
CURING, 
Although it may be possible to perform a part of this process in the field, it 
is by no means a sound practice to attempt it wholly. It is important to notice 
that the fibre, if exposed any length of time to the strong rays of our summer 
sun, will become brittle and lose colour, and thus seriously affect the quality of - 
the material for manufacturing purposes. The best cured material is that which 
is handled under shade, but as this means extensive shed accommodation it may 
