Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-11-10
Use OF GILANO IN VIRGINIA.

We take pleasure in inserting the following
valuable communication, giving accurate statistics
of the quantity of Guano sold in Richmond du
ring the year which ended on the 31st October.
and also OF the quantity shipped by the James
River and Kanawha Canal From these data
our correspondent frames an interesting conjec.
tural estimate of the quantity purchased in the
State during the year, and of its probable nfu-
ence upon the crop of wheat for the coming year.
The result is so enormous that it almost staggers
belief. But there can be no doubt that the use
of Guano will immensely increase the yield of
wheat in Virginia. The demand for it is stea-
Oily advancing, and, next year, the quantity pur-
chased will be far larger than it has been this
year.
In regard to the estimate that one fifth of the
Guano purchased in the State is sold at Rich"
mond it may be well to say that the farmers in
most Of the tide-water countless procure their
supplies from Baltimore, end considerable guam.
titles are sold at Norfolk Petersburg, Frede-
rcksburg, Alexandria and Winchester The
sum of $382,o5o paid in one year for Guano
sold in Richmond alone is of itself an enormous
tax to be drawn from the agricultural communi-
ty but the fact that is cheerfully and voluntari
| lv paid, gives assurance that it is far from being
an unwise expenditure. Its best effect consists
| in the positive improvement which it secures to
our wide spread impoverished fields. If it be true
that the planters and farmers of Eastern Virginia
| and the Valley have actually paid in one year
a contribution of neal TWO MILLIONS OF DOLLARS,
| in order to procure an increase of their crops
and fertilize their lands, how is it that the
| whole of this State has has so long hesitated to
raise PERMANENT capital sufficient to complete
her great Canal and all her leading lines of rail-
road? The readiness of the people to bear tax
for puano, proves that, if they had chosen, they
might long ago have finished these public works,
which would now ike those OF New York, have
been dispensing prosperity throughout the Conn.,
monwealth, and by their ample revenues, reev-
inc us from the burdens of taxation:
| Mr. EDITOR believing it would be desirable in
formation OF your readers to know the guam
| nty of GUANo which has been used in Virginia dur
ing the last II months, have collected information
which shows that the quantity entering the port of
Richmond and sold here from the LIST Nov 1850 to LIST
Nov 1851 was 7,6lI tons. Of this 1857 tons was
It,
and appl ed mostly by farmers living near the
line of the Canal From the dates which it passed
up the Canal. it appears that not more one-srh of the
quantity purchased used on the summer crops,
leaving five-sixhs applicable to the crop of Wheat
seeded this fall The cost of Guano to the farmers
and planters would average at their FARMS $50 per
ton making for the whole quantity Of 764l tons sold
in Richmond, the aggregate sum Of 1882 $50 If not
more than one-sixth used on the spring and sum-
mer croos, there would be left to be applied to the
seeded Wheat crop 6363 tons, which may he expec-
ted to increase the yield of next year ESTIMATING the
increase four bushels to the 100 lbs 80 bushels
to the ton-say eight bushels to the acre) by 500, 404
bushels
The Guano sold in this market is supposed to
be not more than one-fifth of the quantity used in
Virginia this year, which, if so, would make 3S,205
tons applied To the poor out lands Of Virginia,
cost ST ,90250, making increased Weld. if all
applied to the Wheat crop, Of 3.076 400 bushels Five
sixths of the whole quantity applied to the Wheat
Ca bushels to the acre> would give an increase
of 2 547, 900 bushels in the next crop.
This is not all that is being done for lands
More manure is made on the farms than heretofore;
and in addition TO the Guano which has been trans
ported up the Canal there has been during the past
- months, ending on ist Nov. upwards of 5000 tons
of lime, salt plaster, &c. for manure, shipped from
This place by the Canal. s.