The Castor Oil Plan.

Otago Witness, Issue 2200, 30 April 1896, Page 14

The Castor Oil Plan.

TO THE EDI^OB.

Sir, — In your iasae of April 25, under §E« heading "F«m and Station," id an artful* entitled " The Cwtor Oil FUnt," which to van seems to ctitioite somewhat unfairly a leafleft is-u^d by the Department of Agriculture. First, let mo my that I am an Auckland fruitgrower, and that I firmly believe there is « big field in oar aoithsrn districts for the culti* v*ttoa of many subtropical products* I will not discuss the advisability of cultivating this particular castor oil plant, though I sea that H we could, have raised' the £9132 worth of castor oil imported into this- country l*»t year thora. would have been, mote employment for out population, &nd thai much more money spend in the country. Probably your contributor hM nofc considered the mutter in this light). Now let me >efer to the unfairness of tta criticism, i read the lsaflat in question and the article together. The article insinuates thaS the let- net gives do waroiog of tha poisonous character of osator seeds. As a nutter of f*s6 the leaflet plainly points out th»t if human beings or cattle eat the seeds of the plant, they are likely to receive serious injury. It even quotes an iiutsnce of cows being injured by eating raps cake containing oastor bean powderi Your contributor muit either have paused oyep ' this portion of the leaflet;, or have wilfully ignored it, whioh is unfair both to the writer o£ tbe leaflet and the Department of Agriculture, O£ course your contributor" has a perfect right to warn the public of the introduction of anything liktly to be injurious to it, but I think be shows a narrow spirit when he argues againffc the introduction of a plant simply beo&aae iff seeds are poisonous. What sensible, human being would be tempted to eat caetor beans ? Stock, I kpow, will not touch the plant even in dry Australia, where feed is very scarce. Your coutr butor innocently remarks that although castor oil to the value of £9132 was imported, £1000 would cover the return to tha grower, and no thinks there is nothing in this amount to encourage farmers to engage in tha ._ cultivation of the plant. Now lam of opinion ; that if we can raise eveti £1000 worth of extra' ' material sdraebidy'wilf have «fcw N fields undet ' cultivation. Atid.surely* the.fiontributoc is not _ so iguoraut "as to think.. the .£IOOO only covers the value of the -product. -There is tha value of its manufacture, of bottles, labels, &d,,' or * £8132 for the honest employment of- people who are now idle. . . . I think the spirit of the article is bad, ioais* much as it deliberately condemns for faults not committed. Tr.ere is another feature of the article — It "damns with faint praise--' the effoits of the Agricultural department. Now, as a practical - fruit-grower, I must acknowledge that the department is doing a very large amount of good, and that every month is increasing its efficiency. I have had the pleasure of meeting many of its officials, and I recognise in them men who are not only capable of giviug as t dentine and expert information, but eonnd and prectical teaohing. When such a department is doing good work, why not give it its due ?— I em, &c, ' F. Rollett. Christchurch, April 27. [We feel sure our contributor had no desiro to condemn the general work of the Agricultural department, which has always met with our heartiest approval and commendation. Tha department has done good service to tha country, and is capable of doing much more. Ab the same time we should be utterly failing ia our duty to the agricultural community were wa tcf neglect to condemn a course of procedure recommended by the department, but whioh is calculated to add to our already too long Hat of imported pests. As to the v^lue of the proposed industry, our correspondent must possess a very sanguine temperament if he imagines) that locally-made castor oil would at once stop the - impoitation of the article and Sad a teadj market. — Ed ] -~ .

Constable Leece, at present stationed aC Opbir, is to be transferred shortly to South, Duuedin.

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