Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-12-14
On the Cnstor Kenn.

! oh the SuStoE
! Some time ago l saw an article in THE Ga
| zETTE on the culture OF palma christi castor
bean. Is palma christi and castor bean one and
the same thing? Please give me the address OF
| some person engaged IN the culture of the cas-
| tor bean; also let me know where could find a
market for my product should l conclude to go
| into castor bean culture. Any further inform
alton through THE GAZETTE would be thankfully
| received. G. D. KEMP.
Last Chance, Tex.-wharton P. o.
The botanical name of tho castor bean
| is Ricinus communs. There is really
| but one species, though in the course OF
| time several rather strongly marked va
rieties have branohed off from the orig
| inai species, and seed dealers to better
serve their purpose, have attempted to
run these varieties out under different
specific names. But botanists recognize
only single species One of the varie-
ties is red podded, and seed men have
attempted to put it upon the market
under a new specific name as desirable
ornamental foliage plant. which it is.
Another variety grows to the height of
twenty five or thirty feet. and they have
tried the same game on that variety.
But it don't work in ecieuce-Ricinus
commupis is the only castor bean, the
same as Solauum Tuberosu IN ia our only
Irish potato.
The castor bean seems to have first
struck the western hemisphere in Peru.
and there the old Monks gave il the local
name of palma christi. All our varieties
have sprung from that original intro
duction, hence one variety is as much
palma christi as IS another. According
TO the laws of priority it would seem that
palma christi was more justly entitled to
figure as the botanical name of the plant
than the name il now bears, given it by
Linn2us, but be that "a il may Ricinus
communis is now the scientific name of
the castor oil plant the world over.
The smallest growing, blue stemmed =
castor bean represents the original plant,
and this Is the bean cultivated for its oil.
The new varieties named yield an oil all
right, but as q rule the seeds do not we'll
pop out from the hull-you would have
to shell them out liz some way, and that
would cut off your profits. The kind
cultivated for oil readily pops out all its
beans on exposure to the sun.
We cannot now point out any one in
Texas cultivating the castor bean as q
crop, though there are plenty of such
persous-not SO many as there should
be, however. There is q castor oil mill
at Weatherford. Texas, which would
take your product at the best figures off,
ering anywhere, aud no doubt you might
get any information desired by address,
ing "Castor Oil Mills, Weatherford,
Texas. - We think the concern has or
culars prepared and ready for sending
out. There is doubtless money for Texas
in castor bean culture. A pamphlet on
the cultivation of the crop, issued by the
St. Louis lead and oil company is now be-
fore us. 1t says "aimost any soil that will
produce wheat or corn will answer for
the castor bean. Where 1t can be had
sandy loan may be preferable. Wet
and heavy soils are not we'll adapted to
its successful culture. One important
fact in connection with the culture of
castor beans is, that 1t is one of the most
fertiliZing crops raised. In this respect
it surpasses even clover. Many farmers
say that for fertilizins purposes crop
raised upon land Is worth several dollars
per acre to the land, on account Of the
additional fertility gained by it.
"Ths ground should be put into good
condition for the seed as for other crops.
One thorough blowing and three or four
borrowings with heavy harrow will be
sufficient preparation. II the soil is in
clIned to be wet 1t should he thrown into
back burrows or lands fifteen or twenty
feet in width, and the dead burrows be- I
tween these lands kept open for drainage
off Of all surface water. This is not
more necessary for the castor bean than
for any other crop where the land in
clines to wet.
''The ground is now laid of In rows
five or six feet apart each way, except
that between every sixth or seventh row
distance of about eight feet 10 left be-
tween the rows one way to permit horse |
and wagon or sled to pass, for the pur-
pose of taking the beans as gathered. |
To hurry germinatiou the seed is usually |
soaked in warm water twenty-four hours |
before planting. Eight or ten seeds |
should be given to each hill, and at this |
rate . half bushel will plant from eight |
to ten acres. Plant as soon as danger |
from frost 10 over in spring.
'.The after cultivation consists in sim
ply keeping down weeds aud grass.