Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1851-06-13
Agricultural.
How to use Guano.

How to use GuanOs
There is an article (page 35) of your present vol
ume Under this title that contains much useful infor-
nation but some error or rather statement, that
will be likely to lead experimenters with this fert-
izer into error AS have been upon the land of the
Mr. Newton mentioned, we'll as some hundred
others in Virginia and other places where guano is
used very extensively, and conversed day after day
upon the subject, perhaps can give your readers
some useful information. would promise that |
was acting Agent of A. B. Allen Co.'s New
York Agricultural Warehouse for the sale OF Peru
Wan Guano and'consequently interested in getting
all possible information upon the subject. The res
idence of Mr.. Newton is in Westmoreland county,
Va, which lies between the Potomac and Rappahan-
mock rivers, and venture to say the land upon his
home place was poor an old field OF pines and
broom straw as can be found in the State. Before
using guano, in fact, it too much exhausted to
produce decent growth of poverty grass-the last
effort of expiring fertility.
When was there about year SINCE land of this
character was covered by a growth Of wheat that
bid fair to produce Is or 20 bushels to the acre,
while upon fields that had produced that last year,
most luxuriant crop of clover was enriching the
land for another crop of wheat.
Two hundred pounds to the acre is the most usual
quantity applied in that region, and the deeper
it is powed in the better 1t must be turned under
sowing it broadcast and merely scratching 1t in
with such plows half the cotton planters use, will
answer but poor purpose. You say, -" a very little
earth between the seed and guano will prevent in
jury" Perhaps. And that "a dress of light soil
over the guano in drills" &c., would be a proper
manner to apply it; ''or it may be sown in damp
weather, and that rains and moisture will convey
the elements of fertility into the soil from the sur
face.'
Allow me to say you committed greater
error. If 200 pounds were sown upon an acre dur
ing shower in this burning climate, two hours of
hot sun would disspate the value of one half of 1t
to the four winds of heaven. and you would manure
your neighbours crop about as much as your own
Covering it with little dust would be but little bet
ter. The best way to apply guano to cotton corn,
in Georgia. would be to open the bed just before
planting, down to the very bottom: with double
mouldboard pillow, drawn by two mules, and then
scatter the guano, and follow Immediately with
light turning pillow, throwing back the earth from
one side so as to cover it completely from all posi-
bty of contact with the seed or young plants, it
will be just to kill them much fire
After the seed is dropped turn the other side of the
double furrow back upon it, and you have your bed
complete, with your fertilizer we'll buried imme
dately below the plants its volatile particles cannot
escape. lift is objected to this, that it will greatly
increase the labor of preparing the ground have
only to reply, try it we'll ift will not pay abandon
it. My opinion is, it will be found profitable. But
take my advice, and you never will cow it upon the
surface, unless you particularly anxious to make
a very fine crop of grass.
have been often asked by planters, whether it is
| durable manure. | cannot answer to cotton,
but know it is followed on wheat land by growth
OF clover That no Other manure can produce at the
same expense. predict many farms in the South
will be disappointed in the results of an application
of guano because they pillow very shallow, that a
long dry spell will convert the two three inches
of loose earth they have merely scratched up, into
dust, and the rays of the will reach the guano
and drive it off almost certainly the
would the strength of bottle of spirits of camphor
when the stopper was out.
| have no doubt, myself, the general use of guano
will have great effect upon the old fields Of the
| hoe
in Virginia The only question now is, whether it
can be probably applied to old land while there is
still much forest to be destroyed and soil put
in cultivation, and worn out, before men will COM
mence system of renovation. Many persons OBJ
ect to the price of guano 1t is the fault of the
merchant who sells it to the planter That which
comes from Peru, is owned by the government of
that country, and is shipped here and sold by their
agents generally at about SAT ton of 2240 lbs
The Treasury gets about fourth of this, the
freight is $l2 to Sl5 and the balance goes for
missions to agents, and various pickings and steal
ings of the officials through whose hands the money
has to pass. The supply upon the Islands on the
coast of Peru is almost nexhaustible and if there
was free trade in the article every farmer would
find it the cheapest he could use. AS it is,
! would earnestly recommend every planter, who
| knowns the value of manure upon his land, to try
the experiment faithfully upon cotton, and if he
cannot make it profitable. If any of my acquain-
tanees desire to get order throug me- to Mes
srs. Aliens l89, Water ST., New York, | will assure
| them the genuine article.
have to notice more item in the article to
| which have alluded. The writer says: 81 when
corn or cotton is hoed the first time guano NAV be
applied the plants to be nourshed and covered
by the hoe, cultivator, pillow scraper." So it. may
but take care of that word near, or your careless
negroes will come very near killing the whole crop
The only way have it applied to the
growing crop to the good advantage, is to bar off
with good sized turning plow-such, for example,
as Aliens No. "A, or A. las close to the as
you can rum and as deep as good mule can pull it.
In the bottom of this furrow, drill the guano at the
rate of 200 lbs. to the acre: and turn heavy fur
row right back upon it at have little doubt
an application in this way, ffollowed by ran would
be found equal to any other method.
If any further information | happen to possess,
will be of service to your readers let them ask and
they shall receive.
am, most respectfully &C.,
Scion ROBINSON.
Charleston, s. c., April H. 1851.