The Chickasaw messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1880-1900, 1881-03-10

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MoBILE ALA Feb s. 1881
EE6g Dipafehs-I desire ID
avail mYselfoi tho usoof q short space
10 your paper, to lay before y0m
readers some facts with relaU0n &C.
the castor bean, with the view Of
melting more or less people TO plant
a few acfes each
After careful investigation, ! am
sure that it's as certain a crop as can
he raised: and that its prodlableness
is such as 10 warrant It's pllnting
It's simplici9 Of cultivation makes o.
as easy TO raise as corn, the points
being to destroy weeds and grass,
and keep the soil open and mellow
Until recently the chief use OF the cas-.
tor oil wasformedicinal purposes, hu'
lsusgsare multiplying. and Is Is now
used for lubricating larger classes
Of machinery, for mixing with other
OF for burning purposes, as an ex-
celleut oil for hair, and in mixing
with paints. In this last use, we
think, there is a great and increasing
demand fol it, as we observe that the
lead and oil companies seem very
anxious 20 stimulate the production
OF the bean, although they do not
aYOW its use in paints. II can hardly
have escaped the most superficial oh
servation how the castor bean sue
ceeds. II is planted by many, in @
very small way, TO keep m Jles away
With the little or no care it thus re-
ceives, it still surpasses the cultivated
bosn ] have seen elsewhere But,
while this, IN the absence Of more
extended experiment, might be deem
ed a very favorable presumption rs
TO its success for crop production,
the successful cultivation OF il Ia au
extended way, during the war leaves
no doubt as TO the praoticabllily or
safety in raising it. We understand
that during the war the Confederate
government offered some special in
ducements TO the cultivation Of the
plant, with the view Of utilizing the
crop for medicinal purposes. Under
this incentive it was tried We have
either personally, or by letter, put
ourselves IN communication with
some Of the parties who made the
experiment, Messrs G n Sherrod
and Brooks, of Br0oksVii.e, Miss
among others The testimony IS al
one way, that is that il is an easii y
raised crop 10 was raised Of course,
by negro labor, and with no lights
Of experience to guide This makes
it plain that no one noel hesitate to
plant the crop because of inexperi
ence with IL
The prairie soil of East Missis-
sippi aud Western Alabama, should
not have regarded IS desirable for the
bean. from the light can get on Tie
subject from printed sources, OF
from my observation in other States,
| for in Kansas and Illinois, where
principally / have seen it, while the
soil Is very black, fertile aud rather
stiff, il is not near SO stiff as the soils
above referred to in Mississippi aad
Alabama, and from what learn from
the little printed matter can ind, a
sandy loan is preferable But the
demonstrations made by gentlemen
/ have named, leave no doubt that
the prairies, while they are mol
4 preferable, are still fine soils for tb,
successful culture of the bean Al
the West any soil that will produc,
wheat and corn is recommended fol
the castor bean Considerable stresi
is laid On the soil being dry and put
ting the land in condition. II il
said, in as goodeondition as TO- othe
crops. This means more than thl
usual way, with us, Of treating on
land that VIC put in corn. Suel
slovenliness is beneath q farmer
conception North and West
would therefore advise no man &
put in the castor bean withou
ploughing bis land, aud IL he harrow
it well all the better
PLANTING THE SEED.
After uood preparation OF tb