The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-12-10
A New crop For 0ur Farmers.

At the request of farmer near Ben
nettsville, tue NeDs and Courier has
investigated the subject of the cultiva-
tion OF the castor oil bean (palma christi.
H. J. Batter & Bro, 2l5 Pearl street,
New York, have furnished the informa-
ton needed. They say that the cultiva-
ton OF the castor bean is attracting con
siderable attention atthe present time.
Heretofore it has been cultivated chiefly
for the oil, for medicinal purposes, but it
is now co,aing largely into demand for
lubricnting and other uses, They say
that they e constantly using the beans
and can take any quantity produced.
The price per bushel varies with the
season aut quantity. At present they
are worth $l.55 per bushel (forty six
pound,,) fer prime clean beans. B. j.
Baker & Bro. publish aipamphlet giving
full perticr iars as TO the cultivation and
cure of the beans, which they send free
to any one applying for it. :,
Almost any soil that will produce
wheat or corn will answer for the castor
bean. When it can be had, sandy
loan is preferable. The soil should be
dry. Wet, heavy soils ere not adapted
to its successful culture. One important
fact in connection with the culture oi
castor beans is, that it is one of the most
fetilizing crops raised. In this respect
it surpasses even clover. Many farmers
say, for feriilizing purposes, crop raised
upon land is worth several dollars per
acre to the land, on account of the ad-
ditionsl fer ;ility gained by it:
The grol nd is prepared just as 1t is
prepared for corn, and the cultivation
that suits ,crn suits castor beans. The
beans should be soaked in water for
twenty.fou- hours before planting. II
not soaked, it will require sometimes
three or fol- weeks for them to come up,
1t is said tc be good rule when planting
to put in et ch hill two soaked beans and
two not soaked. In this way an even
stand will certainly be secured. The cut
worms des roy the young plants fully as
badly as they do young corn. The
plants should stand in rows just like corn,
and aa the same distance apart as corn
plants. One bushel of beans will plant
twenty aces. The plants are easily
killed by irost, and planting should be
delayed III I'll all danger from frost is
passed. The cultivation consists in
destroying the grass and weeds, aud
keeping the soil open and mellow,
About the first of August the beans
begin to ripen. They are produced on
spikes of various lengths, and should be
gathered ali soon as. the pods begin to
turn brown, to prevent loss by their pop
ping out O., the field, as the beans when
ripe pop or burst from the pod to quite 8
distance. They are gathered by cutting
off tho entire spike. Each plant has 3
number of these, and they are produced
and 1ipen in succession till frost. O
course, onl7 those exhibiting brown pods
should be cut.
Whsn these pods are gathered they
should be placed or dry floor in the
sun t.. pop. The beans should be gath
cred from the floor every day, as it is
very impo tant that they should not gel
wet. Rair Injuries them fully fifty PEI
cent, and ,rost has the samo effect. The
ayerae.e yisld is from fifteen to twenty
five bushels per acre, though much
greater yi.lds have been made. Iht
plant does we'll in South Carolina, and il
will very probably pay auy farmer who
makes ths experiment of planting te"
acres. Th, information given is basec
on results attained in Kansas, where
most Of tn. beans are now raised.