The Monticellonian. [volume] (Monticello, Ark.) 1870-1920, 1918-05-03

shrub and is commonly used for orna-
mental purposes. This plant is not
| like the true bean or pea, for it Is not
legume. The seed of this plant are
borne in spikes that are produced on
the stems of the plants. These seed
are used commercially for the pro-
duction of castor oil, being very rich
in this ingredient The seed bear a
poisonous principle and should not be
fed to stock or mixed with the feed Of
the stock. The castor bean crop is of
more Importance to the world at large
at this time than ever before for the
oil produced from this plant, in ad-
icine, is the only oil that can be used
in the fabrication of the high speed
motors of the aeroplanes that are so
necessary in the modern methods Of
warfare on the European lines. The
contracts for the growing of thi.
plant have been let by the govern
ment in order that the necessary
mount of oil may be produced this
year to meet the needs of these ma
chimes.
SOIL-The soil requirements OF
the castor bean are not so great a
some think Any soil that will pro
duce a good crop of cotton or corn
will produce the beans well. A
medium fertile, sandy, well drained
soil comes nearest meeting the re
quirements of this plant. A very
fertile soil IS not suited to the growth
of the castor bean, since it tends to
cause am increased growth of the
plant body at the expense of seed
production and maturity.
PLANTING AND CULTIVATION
The castor bean natures in about
100 to no days and should be planted
before or about the tenth of May. The
soil is prepared like it would be for a
crop of corn by thoroughly break
ing, disking and narrowing so as to
have the texture of the soil as fine
as possible. The beans are planted
in rows about three and one half feet
apart and about three feet apart in
the row for soil of ordinary fertility.
The cultivation of the plant is very
easy since only enough working to
keep the weeds down is necessary.
This can generally be done by run
ming the weeder over the plants for
two or three times or by some other
method of shallow cultivation.
FERTILIZATION-On soils of me-
dunn fertility, the castor bean re
quires the application of very little OIL
any fertilizers. Whether fertilizers are
used, the ammoniates should be APP
piled.
HARVESTING-The seed of the
castor bean are borne in spikes which
ripcn at different times. These
spikes are cut with knife and
thrown into a wagon bed or a sled
driven through the field. Several cut
tings may have to be made since the
periods of ripening of the pods Is
variable. However not more than
three times over the crop will be nee
essary. 1t is expected that the non
popping varieties will be furnished if
possible to obtain the seed in sufficient
amounts. One man can care for and
harvest 10 to Is acres of this crop.
YIELDS-The yields to be obtain
ed from this crop will vary from Is
to 80 bushels of the seed per acre on
our average soil. Yields of from DO
and more bushels have been reported
from Florida and Texas where con-
ditions seem not to be well suited
to the production of this crop as is
this section of the country. With
these yields the crop will produce
more per acre than the average crop
of corn or cotton when computed in
money returns.