The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1853-09-20
5or tbe earmers.
From, the Southern AgricaltWist
The Apple alton Of Peruvian Guano
TO Cotton. 49,. 49,.

Mr.. Ep1roR:-For the benefit Of my brother
planters, you will allow short space in your
valuable journal, to give the result of my expert
Inent; with Peruvian Guano, As applicable to
cotton. Twill confne ayscf simply to state
ment of fac's.
In the spring Of 1852, procured a little over
a ton of guano, and applied two hundred and
fifteen pounds to the acre. Not unfrequently
Plaster OF Paris is mixed wit it in the proportion
Of ane-eghth or -one-fourth, but in order to test
accurately the additional product Of the land,
unaided by anything else, mixed only with sand.
This was done also to render It's application more
uniform.
The land upon which this experiment was
made, WAS originally what nig ght be termed live
ly sandy long leaf pine land-thc clay about
eighteen inches from the surface-a'jo 'joining rich,
rolling, oak and hickory land The field was
cleared thTty-fye years ago. and was completely
exhausted by continued cultivation. 1t, however,
had four years rest previous to the experiment.
and had produced scanty crop Of poor grass.
This was burpt off in January, aud the land
broken .up with a shovel plough Immediately
afterwards. .'..l..,.
Late in April, the rows were drawn of with
asshovel plough, pretty deep, and in these fur
rows the mixture Of sand and guano was strewn
leaving out an acre about the centre, to he
planted without guano, Which and my mana.
ger, Ehois man of ofexceent judgment, thought
10. be of the same quality as the rest Beds
were thrown up by passing on either side with
the same plough, and the cotton was planted IN
chops about twelve inces apart.
The effect of the guano was manifest BY the
time the cotton was week old, and was most
marked during the whole season, and the yield
was astonishing. The acre without guano, and
an average. acre of the guanocd, were gathered
carefully in good weather, and weighed when
picked out, and the former produced one hundred
and thirty-6ve pound, Of seed cotton, whilst the
latter produced five huadred and eighly-onc
pounds. An will admit that the land was poor
enough for. an experiment Of this sort 1t will
be ascertained that the guanoed acre produced
four hundred and forty.six pounds more than the
unpuauoed acre, and if three pounds Of seed will
make one of clear Cotton, you will have one
hundred and forty eight pounds of clear Cotton,
which, if valued at Scents pound, is worth
.sll.s4. The additional cotton seed value at
sone dollar, as manure, making the total product
Of the cuano Sl2.S4. Deduct from this the
cost of the cuano applied to the acre, which WAS
Sc, and it will give SG.S4 as the net gain. This
is over a hundred per cent on the amount eX-
pended in .uano.
Nor is this all 1t has certainly left the land
in an improved condition, if present appearances
are Dot deceptive. 1t is now at rest, and the
growth of vegetation on it, up to this time, is as
marked this year as that Of the Cotton was last.
This is no small item in estimating its value, and
l 90 so far as to affirm that it would be economy
to. use it, If the overplus Of Cotton only remun-
Grated YOU for the cost of the guano. The i'm
provemcnt to the land, and the labor saved i'll
the cultivation of less land to the hand, in order
to produce given crop of Cotton-al!ded to the
advantages derived from resting the land which
would otherwise be planted, will far more than
repay for the trouble Of putting down the'gu-
an).
have five tons this year, which will apply
in the same manner, and hope 10 be enabled to
give you as favorable account Of it.
have been thus particular, Mr.. Editor, IN
order to give sufficient data to all to draw their
own conclusions Very respectfully,
l. NJ. DANTZLER.
St. Mathews, April ls, 1858.