Wisconsin herald, and Grant County advertiser. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1844-1845, 1845-08-16

GUANo.-This ou,landish word which has
been SO often seen in the newspapers Of late,
still forms one Of the leading staples in the
manufacture Of paragraphs. Now i, is not
long since we asceriained the definition of this
word guano-though we have heard incredible
reports of its fer.iliaing properties a manure.
and seen accounts of vessels lading with il al
the island of Ichaboe. Every body has read
these reports; but probably not one reader in
ten is aware tina, guano is nothing more nor less
than the excrement Of those shor. legged per
pendicular birds called penguins, of which
every school boy has seen woodcuts. This
excrement, deposited for ages on those unfre-
quented isles near the coas, of South America,
is now sought for with as much avidity as the
miner searches for lead ore !: and the very
sweepings are gathered up as carefully as so
much mineral wash dirt would be saved. On
the subjec, Of guano, we quote the following
extract from an essay published on this sub.
ject in the July number of +" The Farmers
Li6rary'-a new and most valuable Agricul
tural work, Of which the readers of the Herald
will find prospectus in our advertising col
umns -
"This extraordinary substance, which has,
within the last eighteen months. attracted so
much notice in this country-eicited publica-
tons on its uses and qualities, until some of
the most intelligen. inqurirers after, and difus-
ers Of Agricultural knowledge are heard. at The
very word Guano, 10 exclaim-' Enorgh-ihe
very smell of il is enough!
Give me an ounce Q! civet, good apothecary, to
sweeten my imaginaton.'
This substance, we repeat, which is gener-
ally supposed TO have been only last year i'm
ported into the United States, was received
Two barrels of ii-and distributed from the
office OF the old American Farmer as far back
as the Spring Of lS25-just twenty years ago.
II was on that occasion that the Editor Of this.
the Farmers Library" by whom these two
barrels were distributed, published an account
of its use and value 10 Peru, together with
full analysis of /, by two eminent French
chemists. Fourcroy and Yaugelin, who were
supplied with specimens for that pnrpose by
Bonplase and Humboldt Humboldt, by the
bye, suggested the question, whether Goauo
might not be considered as The produc. of the
revolutions Of the earth, and TO be classed with
the formations Of coal and fossil earth. Hence
Guido Ricci proposed TO give it place in our
meteorological systems, under the name of Am
monique Ura,ee. (Urate of Ammonia.) or at
least to consider it as a natural product and
we know that. however, we'll ii may be consid-
cred settled that these immense deposits con-
ssI Of the dung of sea birds. there are capisios
Of ships who have visited them. who yet feel
strongly persuaded that Guano is natural sub
stance, thrown up by some extraordinary con-
vulsiou or quake Of the earth. Be that as it
may. we refer. for the present, 10 the sixth vol
ums of the Americsn Farmer for the substance
Of all that has been since published as TO the
mere ,4ss Of IL ia Peru-ihough we shall give
q highly Interesting MEMoIR on GUASo-lTs
I HIsToRY AND UsEs IN PERU By WILLIAM
WALroN.' as soon as We can find room for II !;
and venture to say, that though he may now
think she ,hrea, o: it a rank offeGee. IL will be
read BY none with more gssi0 than By certain
esteemed friend aad cola bor0teur. just refer
red 10 as being already surieised. Nous rsr-
roas.'"
DR.. Lsipsius. who is now "a Egypt says