Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-07-20
For he Enql Tcr.
GI1AMO LIn IL


The most approved mode OF applying Guano
i. 10 cover it as deep as The farmer is willing 10
| plough his land. He may even increase his
usual depth OF ploughins as much as ne would il
turning in dressing OF farm yard manure
Indeed it would be best 10 do So even a. the risk
OF turning up portion Ct The sub soil; for then
there would be greater amount o! matter for the
Guano 10 ACT upon. The ammonia, as previously
stated, difnses itself through The soil and combines
with lis Ingredients, ready to supply The young
plants with nourshment When Gnano is ap
| piled in The spring and left near the surface The
effect will be inconsderable if the summer should
| be dry. Il requires The almost constant presence
| OF moisture gradually 10 dissolve The salts and
this is only maj niained in sufficient abundance al
the depth Of several inches beneath the surface.
In the fall, when applied 10 wheat and exposed 10
| the action OF The winters rains shallow covering
is much less Objectionable. i WIS indeed the
practice Tor several years alter its Introduction 10
get il 10 al The same operation as The wheat either
with the harrow or culilvalcr. But the carbonate
OF ammonia is SO volatile a substance that there
is necessarily much loss when exposed TO the
Influence Of the air. When buried deep its escape
IS arrested by the soil. A less quantity, therefore,,
under deep covering has been found TO nave
as much effect as larger quantity under shall
low covering, in the proportion OF Two 10 three, or
al most, three 10 four.
For small grain Guano is necessarily put on
broadcast, and il is preferable 10 apply II in the
same manner Tor corn when Two hundred pounds
or more 10 The acre is used. A great increase,
however, in corn is obtained from much small
er quantity by putting it in The hill; one hundred
pounds 10 the acre making striking difference.
When applied 10 The hill deep fuTrow should
Be opened by passing the plough both ways in
the same place. The Guano is then 10 be dropped
al any specified rate and scattered over space
In the bottom OF The furrow mol smaller than The
crown of hat. Before planting the seed il is
necessary TO cover the Guano with al least 1.-TWO
inches OF earth; for il The grain comes in imme-
dale contact with il the terminating principe IS
certain 10 be destroyed Ia sowing broadcast
there is never Guano enough to iDjafe The germ.
On land OF moderate fertility, sucn as will yield
in ordinary seasons, six or eight bushels Vi
wheat TO The acre. Two hundred pounds ot qua
no will be good dressing. However poor The
land may be, three hUIdIed pounds will be suf
ticienl for whea and one hundred or one hum
bred and Atty will be enough when !; Is capable
OF producing len or twelve bushels 10 The acre =
Lands OF all grades may thus be equaized 10
their production, by pioporioning the quantity
10 the necessities of The soil. Corn will lake up
a lar greater amount OF manure than wheat, a
every farmer is aware. !; is crosser feeder
than any Of our cultivated sraihs, and is able 10
appropriate 10 its uses, during favorable sea
son, as much as five hundred or six hundred
pounds OF guano, without vase. Farther expe
rence will probably show The economy OF max
ing liberal applications for corn, even by dimi-
nishios the usual number OF acres allotted 10 that
crop, on The ground that il would be less cxpen
>iye 10 &c; crop oil len barrels from one acre,
lnan five barrels each from two acres. The lat
ter quantity, at least, is as lille as farme;
shou Il be satisfied with attempting to grow; and
when he is applying his Guano or other manure,
he should make his calculations, accordingly.
Oats DO not requre more than hundred and
fly pounds 10 The acre. They come to mauri-
" more rapidly than any olher CROP and do mol
therefore need TO be sustained in their growth by
neavy manurins.
In applying Guano it should be done with strict
regard 10 accuracy. II entrusted 10 servant.
without any fixed rule, numerous errors will un
ably be committed Those who have moi
used il, will hnd il difficult al first 10 realize The
iacl, that so small quantity will produce SO
striking an effect TO The Ignorant and espe-
caly to negroes, it will appear perfectly ridicu-
lous that any man in his senses should expect 10
ieTive benef. from scattering lille dust over
the ground; and, accordingly, amusing instances
sometimes occur, In which as much as one or
two thousand pounds have been put on an acre.
The master himself should personally supcrn.
" instructed his o7erseer or one OF his servants
10 the use Of il. When applied on large scale,
as in preparing for wheat, il will be sufficiently
accurate 10 SOW il Ly measure-a bushel weigh
ing about So pounds. In nicer operations, il is
best 10 be provided with hand-scales, and TO sub
jecl every parcel to accurate weigh. The Gu
ano, previously 10 being used, should be passed
through coarse seive, the mesbes OF which are
not less than the fourth OF an inch square. 10
every bag OF $50 pounds, there will usually be
about ten pounds OF Jumps, which may be readi-
ly reduced by putting them in a box or barrel,
and choppng them with spade. There is no
necessity lu!mix any DINER substance with Guano
10 facilitate the dislribution-it is more convent.
emf, and the work is done more speedily, 10 SOW
i, alone. Calm weather, however, should be Sc
! lected Tor the operation. As much of The guano
consists of fine and ain o.t impl'pabe dust,
some loss would be occosionet by sowing il
when The weather is windy.
Most persons who have given directions for
the use OF euano, have recon- mended the mix
lure oi about hall lis bulk, or scme other proper
lion, OF plaster, for the purpose OF retaining the
ammonia-but experience has shown that plaster
| is positively Injurious 10 The action OF guano. A
| chemical combination is the result, by which The
| salts OF The guano are rendered in a great mea.
sure insoluble, so that The plant does not derive
lis nouIishment as fast as il requires it, In Short
The ammonia becomes fixed" by The [aster-
fIed beyond the power OF eYtrcalion. % the
other hand, mixture Of ashes has been as gene.
rally condemned, because The ammonia is sup.
POSED 10 be TOO suddenly liberated; bn! good re-
suits have been Obtained from this combination.
On The whole, however, the hest and most conve-
nieni combination is, without doubt, between
The Guano and The soil. In regard 10 plas-
ter, one Of my neiehbors has this year mixed
them in different proportions and used Them, side
by side, in comparison with Guano alone; and
be informs me that The effect is very apparently
less and less according 10 The increased quantity
OF plaster.
The tendency Of Guano is 10 hasten the matu.
riIy Of every crop 10 which it is applied. In re.
gard 10 wheat particularly, this isa consideration
o! manifest importance, as tbs difference ola lev