[ 2 7 6 ] 



ploughings followed by a laddering are all that is done before 

 sowing. About ^ a mnd. of seed is sown per acre. The crop 

 is harvested in November or December, the produce coming 

 to only about 4 maunds, valued at Rs. 5 or Rs. 5-8as. per 

 maund. A considerable proportion of land is under this 

 crop in the Chhotanagpur Division. 



374. The yield of oil is about 35 per cent, of the weight 

 of the seed. The oil-cake is highly appeciated for milch- 

 cows in the Deccan, but it is doubtful if it is really very 

 valuable. Mr. Mollison speaks highly of this oil-cake as a 

 manure for the sugar-cane crop. Mustard and castor oils are 

 adulterated with sorguja oil. The relative value of rape seed 

 and sorguja seed in the English market is 48^. : 375. per 

 quarter. While rape seed yields 20 gallons of oil per quarter 

 in,..England, sorguja seed which dries up quicker yields only 

 16 gallons per quarter, but a mixture of sorguja with rape 

 actual! yincreases the yield of oil of the latter seed. Hence 

 the universal use of sorguja seed for mixing with mustard seed 

 before pressing oil out of the latter seed. 



375. For making paints, for lubricating and for lighting, 

 this oil is useful, and it is used in some parts of India for cook- 

 ing and for anointing the body. 



CHAPTER XXXV II. 



CASTOR (RICINUS COMMUNIS). 



'-pHE value of this crop is of a two-fold nature: (i) the Eri silk 

 * worms are reared on its leaf and (2) the oil extracted 

 from castor-seed is highly valued for lubricating machinery, 

 for dressing tanned hides and skin, for lighting, for soap and 

 candle-making and other arts, and lastly as a medicine. The 

 large seeded varieties are appreciated for extracting lubricat- 

 iag and lighting oils, while the small see'ded varieties, for 

 extracting d fine quality of oil used for medicine. The slow- 



