Nebraska advertiser. [volume] (Brownville, Nemaha County, N.T. [Neb.]) 1856-1882, 1862-04-24
a Chapter on Castor Beans De.
tails Of Cultivation and Gathering.

t1slAS VI OuASAIGtAOA esAU UueaADA AuS9s
The CASTOR Bean (Rizinus C0mmu-
nis), or Jonah's Gourd, is beautiful as
an ornamental plant, apd for this pur-
pose it may well have a place in every
garden. The quick growing, large,
tree.like stems, with monster leaves,
even in northern climates, confirm the
belief Of commentators on the Bible,
that the plant which sheltered Jonah,
called a gourd, was no other than our
castor bean plsnt. For garden orna-
ment it is only necessary to plant
few of the beans in hills, or in drill,
thinning out to 18 or 90 inches apart.
The stalks grow from 5 to 10 feet high,
or more on rich soil. Both stems and
leaves are of dark, purplish color.
Within few weeks past, several sub
scribers of the Agricuiturist have per-
sonally assured US from their own ex-
perience, that wherever the caster bean
is planted in q garden, the moles will
surely take their departure departure.
1t hardly seems credible, bus may be
so-especially if moles are as easily
nauseated as children with the slight
est odor of anything like castor oil.
In form and appearance, the fruit re-
sembles common small colored beans.
The oil pressed from these is the com
mon medicinal castor oil of the drug
gists, which is sold in large quantities.
We have seen thousands of bushels of
the beans in bags on steamboats, on
the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, which
were taken in at towns on the banks
of those rivers, along Southern Indi.
ana and Illinois, and some We believe
from Eastern Missouri and Northern
Kentucky. They will grow we'll any
where south of 400. and probably fur
ther north. There is just now new
interest awakened in the cultivation of
this crop in the States above mention
ed. A subscriber residing in Saline
County, H., who has grown several
crops successfully, furnishes for the
American Agricultarist the following
directions, which are very full:
FIELD CULTURE.-The yield is II
to 20.bushels per acre. Prepare the
ground Just as for Indian corn, but
without much manure, or the plants
will run too much to stalk. As soon
as the ground is warm, and the wealth
er settled, say about the first of May,
have the surface we'll prepared with
pIow and harrow, and mark it off into
rows four feet apart Then cross
mark it at the same distance, but leave
between each set of four rows, space
vide enough to drive through sled,
wagon, or cart. The cross rows should
run in a direction to admit of the ready
entrances to the spaces left for the
team. Plant in hills at the crossing
of the rows, the same as corn. As
soon as the plants are up, draw lit
tie earth around them to keep down
grass and weeds, and as protection
against the cut-worm-taking care not
to break the tender stems. When
we'll started, thin out to two stalks in
a hill. Cultivate the same as corn.
They will commence to ripen the
first of August. Place upon a sled,
or on wheels, a tight box holding eight
or ten bushels. With two men, and a
boy to drive the horse, go through the
wide rows or spaces, each man taking
two rows on either side, and cutting off
all the punches that are beginning to
crack. When the box is full, take it
to the yard or bean-house. A yard
will do in fair weather, as the sun will
soon pop out the beans. If in an
open yard, smooth off the ground, and
set up crotched stakes about four feet
high, and twelve feet apart, laying on
poies or rails, and spread the beans
over them as soon as cut and hauled
in. Boards should be set around to
keep the beans from flying off as they
fly out. When thus shelled by the
sun, rake off the stems, and sweep up
and bag the beans like wheat. They
should not be allowed 20 get wet, and
it is much better to have bean house
and use fire heat instead of the sun
for curing them. This may be, say
Is feet square, and be covered with
boards so closely as to retain the warm
air. Put in this furnace, placing it
so that the beans cannot fall on it. as
from their oily character they readily
take fire and burn briskly. Place joists
about seven feet high, and over these
lay stats, two inches side, half an zach
apart; spread on the beans as gather
ed, and start the FIRE, and keep it up
until they crack out and fall through
the Stats.
The gashering from the field can be
repeated at intervals of week or less,
as the punches will continue to ripen
until frost. think the castor bean
improves old land instead of impover-
ishing it. The stalks left in the field
are tender, and can be broken up