The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1881-05-31

We have had a good deal of experience
with the castor bean (Ricinus communist
as main crop, and therefore feel pre-
pared to give you the information desired
without hesitation. Within the past few
weeks number of letters have reached
US asking for information very similar to
that asked by you. Several enclosed
slips cut from newspapers, showing that
some person 1--WE could not make out who)
had been writing up the castor bean as q
most wonderful crop. According to the
slips sent the man who embarked in the
business of castor bean raising had already
g struck oil " on his farm, as the crop
would grow to the greatest perfection on
the poorest soil, yielding enormously and
commanding an enormous price Of
course there would be some oil in the
case, but it must be remembered that
there are many Z" oil strikes that do not
pay the working. We have our candid
opinion as to whether or not this would
be "strike :" of that character, in any
of the lower Southern states; but there
will be no necessity for our crossing the
views of any brother in the "quill-driving"
business after we have given you the
facts and figures, which we shall now
proceed to do-you will then be able to
judge for yourself
In the FIRST place, the land to produce
a good crop of castor beans, must be in
the best of order, and gerry rich. On ac-
count of often seeing castor beans grow
ing here and there about the commons,
some persons may be surprised at this,
but there Is no mistake about it. You
may raise pretty fair stalks on land in
but middling order, but it takes strong
land to make beans The crop wants
about the same kind Of soil and the same
kind of richness necessary to the produc-
tion of first-class crop Of tobacco. Like
tobacco, it is potash plant, and hence
viii not fruit well upon any soil in which
. goodly per cent. Of potash is not pres
ent. A soil qualified to produce sixty
bushels of corn to the acre may be de-
Peaded upon to produce from twenty to
thirty bushels of castor beans-no more
And now for the cnlture.
Prepare the land thoroughly, as for
cotton or corn. Lay off in rows Eve feet
apart aud cross-check with burrows four
feet apart. When all danger Of frost is
over plant from four to six seeds to the
check and cover the same as in planting
corn. Cultivate exactly a. corn, work
ing both ways; thin to three in the hill
when the plants are fully established.
When the plants are hip high throw the
dirt to them and clay By" the crop, 50
far as the working is concerned. If you
have geese or hogs, you may turn them
into the field to help keep down the grass
they will not trouble the castor beans.
Seine farmers take out lower rails here
and there around their fences to let in
snybody's hogs or geese that may feel
disposed to avail themselves of the op-
portsnity offered. But it won't do to let
In either horses or cattle, for the pods of
the beans are poisonous, and horses or
cattle viii sometimes eat them Just as
they are attaining to ripeness. So eaten
they always kill.
About the frst OF August the harvest
would commence In your latitnds, and
would continue till frost killed the plants.
The usual mode of harvesting is 70 drive
down the fve-feet rows with horse or
mule and naRFow sled. A large dry
goods box is upcn the sled for body,
anu u k4uAz&S ~ mbb8GAtg4 ~ AuS uOoG Va
the mule to prevent his committing sui
eide, likewise . small boy, for the purpose
of leading him Two men, each taking
two rows, walk on either side Of the sled,
cutting the ripe bunches Of beans with q
knife and throwing them into the box.
When . pod or 80 upon . bunch has
cracked sulicisntiy - show . white
streak, that bunch is considered ripe and
ready for cutting. In this way the entire
patch must be gone over twice week
between the beginning and the end Of the
harvest.
A @thraahing Aoor i made by clean
ing Oh the hare ground, and beAting it to
hardness in some place having . full ex-
poaure to the sun. Is must Be at least
forty feet in circumference. Upon this
tie beaches ara spread 70 dry, and -
thsy DR. the pods A. oPen and The beams
~ ouf, I'll from tie efIeoa Of ths bot SUM-
Thsrs = 10 ether my q thraahing eastor
heans. Boaxds mnst be sak m aM aromnd
tke tAraahiag noe., foEpi1g ! tsznpofary
van Ianning oltWazl, e caah - heans
thst q ho.izontally. I'D thrpw t1em