386 FOREST CULTURE AND 
Andes, may yet deserve introduction, irrespective of 
their showiness, for their fruits. 
Ricinus communis, L.*—The Castor-oil plant. In- 
digenous to the tropical and sub-tropical zones of Asia 
and Africa. A shrubby, very decorative plant, at- 
taining the size of a small tree. It was well known 
to the Egyptians 4,000 years ago, and is also men- 
tioned already in the writings of Herodotos, Hippo- 
erates, Dioscorides, Theophrastos, Plinius, and other 
ancient physicians, philosophers, and naturalists. The 
easy and rapid growth, the copious seeding, and the 
early return of produce render this important plant 
of high value in a clime like ours, more particularly 
as it will thrive on almost any soil, and can thus be 
raised even on arid places, without being scorched by 
hot winds. It may thus become an important plant 
also for culture in our desert-tracts, and is evidently 
destined to be one of our most eligible oil-plants for 
technical uses, irrespective of the value of its oil for 
medicinal purposes. The seeds contain about 50 per 
cent. oil. To obtain the best medicinal oil, hydraulic 
pressure should be employed, and the seeds not be 
subjected to heat ; the seed-coat should also be re- 
moved prior to the extracting process being proceeded 
with. A screw-press suffices, however, for ordinary 
supply, to obtain the oil. By decantation and some 
process of filtration it is purified. For obtaining oil 
o be used for lubrication of machinery or other tech- 
nologic purposes, the seeds may be pressed and pre- 
pared by various methods, under application of heat 
and access of water. Castor-oil is usually bleached 
simply by exposure to solar light, but this procedure 
lessens to some extent the laxative properties of the 
