Smyrna times., 1938-10-06
CASTOR BEANS
A CASH CROP
Plan To Try Out Foreign
Plant i'm Thirty-two
States
WOULD BE CASH CROP

WASHINGTON.-The Agricultural
Chemical association has enlisted
farmers in 32 states in an expert
ment to determine the practicability
of growing castor plants on a COM
mercial scale.
Former United States Sen. Smith
w. Brookhart heads the newly
formed organization promoting the
program which he says may afford
farmers 'cash crop" for 35, 900, 900
acres with an annual revenue Of
$1,000, 900 900.
DR.. Henry G. knight, chief of the
department of agriculture bureau of
chemistry and soils expressed skep-
ticism Of the claims, pointing out
that many difficulties must be sur
mounted before the program can be
made practical.
THE claim that farmers may de-
rive $50 to $50 an acre from castor
plants is not, so far as l can find out,
based on anything but promotional
guesswork," knight said. lit gives
farmers a wrong impression.
Endorsed as Experiment.
knight said he approved the pro-
gram as an experiment-which its
sponsors insisted it was-but urged
that farmers not plant castor beans
on commercial scale until they
had proved their adaptability to
their farms and had assurance of a
profitable cash market.
The United States consumes 84,-
100000 pounds Of castor oil annual
ly. All Of il is imported. Com
mercial use of the oil might be in
creased to 400, ,000,O 900 pounds by
small reduction in costs to allow
castor oil to compete with other i'm
ported oils. the association said.
Castor oil and by-products. when
grown in America, will represent an
enormous addition to the national
farm income alone, running eventu-
ally into hundreds Of millions of
dollars-an income and an industry
which is now here for development"
the association said.
A prospectus issued by the Wo-
burn Industries farm bureau, chief
supporter Of the association, said
farmers could realize minimum
return of $50 an acre. Four hundred
pounds Of beans-at the present
price of 3.5 cents a pound-would
bring farmers $14 an acre, it was
argued.
Fiber Rope and Paper.
From the stalks, which grow to
10 feet high. 500 pounds Of leaves
would sell for $3.50 and the stalk
from which fiber for rope and cellu-
lose for paper can be manufactured
would bring $3.50 an acre on av-
erage growth. the association esti-
mated
The beans are an established com
mercial commodity, but the leaves,
from which an insecticide has been
made, and the stalks still are un-
proved outside of chemical labora-
tories.
The Woburn company, a large i'm
porter Of castor oil, says it has
grown castor beans successfully for
four years in New Jersey. 1t be-
ieves the bean more adaptable to
southern states, which have a eli
mate more nearly that of India and
South Africa, where it is now grown.
1t has sent seeds to farmers in 80
states for the planting Of expert
mental plots this year. Officials of
the association said that reports will
be checked next fall to determine
in which sections the bean can be
made commercially profitable.
In as many as possible Of those
sections the association members
will offer farmers contracts to pur-
chase all beans and stalks produced
at a set price. Factories will be
set up to process the plant in each
locality, officials said.