The Hawaiian gazette., 1918-03-19
CASTOR OIL BEANS
! ARE EASILY GROWN
ASAAWA|!ANCR
Plant Mas introduced . Hawaii
S1h UnknoWn Early Time and
Has Grown Freely
LOCAL EXPERIMENTS
*' ''f COVER YEARS OF TIME
Making Of Oil Not Feasible But
~ Beans May Readily Be Sold
At Present Time

Inc eAHCt uhte OF inc Introduction
Of the castor bean plant into Hawaii
is unknown, but it may have existed
here previous to the advent of the first
missionary families Marin, in his
journal, mentions the plant, and refers
to its.well known medicinal use. Para
graphs relating to it are found in the
early records, in the transactions of thu
Royal Agricultural Society.
A humber Of attempts were made IL
he early days to introduce its eultiva
ton ON O commercial scale and to man
1facture the oil, without marked sue
,ess. The plant has been widely seat
cred over the islands, and may b.
'een growing wild by rondsides and in
waste places. There are now castor
sean plantations on the coastal land,
IN the windward side of Oahu, and in
Roma on Hawaii.
Hhtvaaod
The methods of cultivation vary
widely, depending upon the altitude
and whether it is grown as an annual
ir as q perennial. In this Territory
there Is perhaps no time limit to it,
growth trees which are known to b.
from twenty 10 thirty years old, will
trunks sometimes attaining two feet in
diameter, existing in various localities
This crop is suited to cultivation on
n variety of soils, but as with most
cultivated plants, the best results arc
obtained on the best land Although
I grows well in forests and in partial
,hade, the best crops of seed are Sc
,ured where EVERY, portion Of the plant
s exposed to the bright sunshine.
Local Experiments
c. Koelling Of HeeIa has experiment
ed with the castpi bean for over tweb
ty years, and as the result of his work
he recommends the planting Of This
crop in as rich. land as is available
The seed should be planted where it l.,
to remain, on land which has beer
thoroughly and deeply stirred. Mr..
Noclling has found that the plants il
his locality lat, or little above, Sc,
level), should be planted in rows from
twenty to twenty, four feet apart, and
fifteen feet apartJin the rows. This
would give one hundred twenty to on,
hundred and fifty plants per acre.
As soon as the plants are two feet
Ugh, the terminal bud Is nipped of
forcing the production of lateral shoots
these An turn ARE shortened to conipe
he plant to branch as much as pos
sible, and also to keep down its height
10 that the beans may be harveste
from the ground, and to Increase tn.
number of seed bearing shoots.
by following this method of rrun
ny conical tree is obtained of from
light to ten or twelve feet in height
nd with a diameter or spread of from
fourteen to twenty four feet
Flower and Seed Time
The plants commence to flower wher
they nre from eight to niue month:
I'D, and ripen the first seed at abou
'Pn months from planting.
During the rowing period the Ian.
,hould be well cultivated, all weed
rept down and The Soil stirred 4
frequent intcrvals the better the cul
tivation, the better the crop.
The distance apart that the plant
hould be located will undoubtedly vary
IN accordance with the altitude a
which the castor bean is grown, whe
her Mt s"a lcV"I or at from four t.
we thousauh feet elevation. The
olunt is extremely susceptible t.
'ruhtY and wonld probably not be cuI
tiNntrI rnlc"s as an annual, abov,
thc latter cleNHtinn.
The castor bean plant feeds mos
HeaviIv upon phosphoric acid and pot
rsh. In sterile soils, or in soils de
frirnt in the" al 'ucrts low grade fer
ttlizers containing them can be profit
ably used.
thirty Day Crop
In Koma crop Of beans can be har
'"sted every thirty days, after tn
lants commence to hear.
The commercial life of the crop
hat is the period during which it car
be proatably cultivated without re
rlanting, on u good field, ranges from
FIVE to seven years. but during thi
period it must receive frequent cult
walton and an occasional dressing O
fertilizer, to obtain the best results.
From data obtaipable in these is
lands, the average crop from sea level
ND to an altitude Of twelve IL rift eel
hundred feet, ranges from twenty fv'
hundred TO three thousand pounds pc
,cre per annum. Individual trees il
he most favored localities, with gooc
toil and cultivation; and fair amour
If rainfall, have been known to yiel'
rs high MS one hundred hounds OF clear
seeds. However, from twenty to TWEEN
v.fve pounls per plant is the average
| ,inha Of Glenn seed
Picking is Expensive
fhc picking or harvesting of tn
"rops is the most expensive operation
The bean mnst be gathered hefor
ON pIrtrIy ripe because the capsul
$ explosive, and if the beans are al
lowed to ripen on the plants, a consid
cradle portion will be lost throug
= the seed pods bursting and THROWN
out the seed
4 A laborer provided with baskc
p or sack cuts off the seed cluster
t with hook or sharp knife. Thes
. are then placed on a drying floo
0 in the sun, and the pods allowed t
. crack open and expel the seeds, or tn
seeds may be beaten out, by hand {
n by special machinery. The amour
which may be gathered by one lubo