and Magazine of the Ceylon Agricultural Society—September, 1911. 285 



ing, or two, is made to precede the early 

 ploughing. In localities ot unevenly-distributed 

 rainfall, elaborate terracing or building is un- 

 dertaken to prevent loss of water by its running 

 off the surface ; and any streams that form are 

 made to follow sinuous courses over the field so 

 that absorption may be as complete as possible. 

 As soon after the stoppage of a shower of rain 

 as will permit of the soil being worked with 

 ease, its surface is thoroughly stirred with 

 "cultivators" (harrows with wheels) and 

 the resultant mulch thereafter main- 

 tained by the soil being stirred as often as 

 it rains or whenever its surface is found to be- 

 come compact. Level cultivation, and the for- 

 mation and maintenance throughout the life 

 and growth of the crop, of a fane top-surface 

 are the aims of the farmer. The seeds, which 

 are drilled in, are sown sparsely and deep- 

 often three or four inches below the surface of 

 the soil. The land is harrowed after it is sown, 

 and, if there be danger of drying, rolled after 

 the harrowing. Even a quarter of an inch of 

 rainfall exerts a beneficent effect upon the 

 growth of a crop. The lower the rainfall, 

 the smaller the seed-rate, — the generally 

 sparse sowing resulting in a relatively small 

 seed-rate per acre, e.g., half a bushel of 

 wheat seed is said to be more than enough 

 to sow one acre. Moreover, the farther 

 apart the plants stand on the field, the greater 

 are the facilities afforded for inter-cultivation. 

 Though large yields are sometimes obtained, 

 they cannot, as a rule, in fairness to the prac- 

 tice, be reasonably expected to result from such 

 farming. The object is rather to produce some- 

 thing where nothing else naturally grew befoie, 

 '' half a leaf " being, particularly in the desert, 

 infinitely better than "no bread "at all. The 

 yield of wheat is about 15 bushels, and that of 

 lucerne 2 tons per acre. The usual crops are the 

 Durum wheats (hard Maccaroni wheats), Spelt 

 wheat, oats, barley, miilets, and sorghum (e. g., 

 Fodder Cane, Kaffir Corn, Miio Maize, -Dourra), 

 and the chief leguminous crop is lucerne, 



Dry farming implies the presence of cheap 

 labour or the application of labour-saving de- 

 vices and machinery. It can be practised to the 

 highest advantage only on large areas of very 

 cheap land. The utmost economy in seed and 

 culture has to be exercised for its success. The 

 conditions, natural and economic, that prevail 

 over extensive areas in India and Burma appear 

 to be favourable for dry-land farming. But its 

 introduction must, for the present, at any rate, 

 be confined to cautious experimentation ; for, in 

 tropical and sub-tropical countries, generally, 

 there is danger of excessive tillage depleting 

 fertility of the soil from the fact that its activi- 

 ties continue unchecked throughout the year. 

 And, for the rest, it might, perhaps, be well 

 also to remember the fact that "in farming, just 

 as much as in religion, salvation is worked out 

 through personal effort, illumined by much per- 

 sonal knowledge, and directed according to the 

 laws which govern the specialities of the sub- 

 ject investigated. 



-Capital, Aug. 10. A. M. S. 



CASTOR OIL SEEDS. 



Theik Cultivation, Pboduction, Preparation 

 and Utilisation. 



[At present there is some enquiry about Cas- 

 tor Oil Seed, and many interested in the sub- 

 ject both here and abroad, have been asking 

 for full information about their cultivation ; 

 — land, suitable varieties, yield per acre, per* 

 centage of oil, etc.] 



The following treatise is taken from the 

 "Bulletin of the Imperial Institute" and we add 

 same number of our own. 



The castor plant known botanically as Eicinus 

 communis is widely distributed throughout the 

 tropics. There are numerous varieties of cas- 

 tor plants, some of which have been considered 

 distinct species by botanists, but are now 

 generally believed to be cultivated or geogra- 

 phical forms of one variable and widely dis- 

 tributed species. 



The castor plant is largely grown in India, 

 Java, Brazil, the United States and Italy, and 

 occurs wild or in a state of semi-cultivation 

 in most tropical and sub-tropical countries. 

 The economic importance of the plant depends 

 chiefly on the seeds, which yield a valuable 

 oil that is used in medicine and for numerous 

 industrial purposes. In India the leaves are 

 also of value, being used as fodder for cattle, 

 and in Assam and other countries as food 

 lor the En silk-worm. 



In tropical countries the castor plant reaches 

 dimensions of a small tree, and may attain a 

 height of from 20 to 30 feet, or more, with a 

 stout trunk and branches. In other climates 

 it becomes a shrub or bush, 8 to 12 feet high, 

 and in localities where frosts occur it is a 

 herbaceous perennial. Under cultivation in 

 warm-temperate climates it is usually treated 

 as an annual. Owing to its decorative 

 value, it is frequently cultivated under the 

 name of " Palma Christi," and sold in pots for 

 ornamental purposes. The seeds vary much 

 in colour, size and shape ; they are usually 

 oval, flattened on one side, and of a mottled 

 grey colour with a conspicuous white caruncle 

 at the hilum end. When ripe, the capsules of 

 some varieties dehisce and scatter the seeds 

 a considerable distance. This peculiarity pro- 

 bably accounts for the wide distribution of the 

 plant in countries, such as Brazil, to which 

 it is not native. The method of seed-dispersal 

 should be borne in mind by the cultivator, as 

 seed is liable to be lost it the capsules are 

 allowed to remain too long on the plants. 



For practical purposes the numerous forms 

 of the castor plant may be grouped into two 

 classes, the large-seeded and the small-seeded 

 kinds. The former are the more prolific in 

 yield of seeds, and the oil obtained from 

 them is suitable for lubricating and in- 

 dustrial purposes ; the small-seeded varie- 

 ties yield a finer oil, that is preferred 

 for use in medicine. 



Climate and Soil. 



As a rough guide to tho climatic conditions 

 necessary for the production of castor seed it 

 may be stated that where maize can be grown 

 and ripened ,the castor, plant may be expected 



