Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1853-01-21
[PRICE ONE CENT.
n)Orcesier Dailp 5pp.
Experiments with Guano - Culture of
Pears.

Pears.
Mr.. ED1ToR-You said recently that the high
price of guano had preventedits extensive trial by
the farmers of Maine, and so il doubtless has but
have not the trials made been ample to show that
it is not, the whole, so well adapted to our soil
as to that of some other States2 Having used it.
more or less, for seven eight years, am salts
fed that on strong loans, especially clayey loans
it does not pay much, if any profit and the reason
IS, that such soils not deficient in the phos-
pilates, and other elements which constitute the
value Of guano. But upon light soils, especially
such as were once really good, but have been par
TALLY exhausted by over-cropping and slightfeed-
ing, thus weak and hungary it proves a .cheap and
efficient manure This is seen, on a large scale
in the great demand for it in New Jersey, Mary
land Eastern Virginia, and further south, and the
mghly satisfactory success attending its use, on
the long cropped portions particularly. NY own
soil being for the most part a clayey loa1n have
found, or fancied, that there is little choice ON
the score of economy, between guano at $50 per
ton,and good stable MANURE, from grain fed horses
at 81 per cord, (what it here costs delivered and
have on the whole, Except for some particular
plants preferred the stable manure, as rendering
the soil light and friabe. think it probable that
the thorough draining recently effected on the
larger part of the land, (4 feet deep wherever
pracdble, and averaging perhaps l2) may have
the effect to assist in developing the virtues of
guano, and intend to test it BY careful trial.
During brief visit, last autumn, to an inteli~
gent cultivator, who resides in New Jersey on the
BANKS VI Ine OpllNdTe, some miles above Phil
adelphia, and who grows fruit and vegetables for
that market, while conversing about his facilities
: for obtaining manure, he remarked that stable
manure could be had landed on the bank of his
farm, from sloops, at 80 per cord, but thought
guano, at $50 per ton, was decidedly cheaper be-
sides free from weed and seeds, and he used it al
most exclusively. The soil was what we should
call good light loan, although it is termed
strong loan, in distinction from the sandy lands
OF eastern New jersey.
tbo =
ton at this place, the one that interested me the
most was orchard of 1900 pear trees, on the
ounce root. These were not all planted at the
same time, nor were they alike in other respects
for some 800 OF 400 of them were grown in this
country, and grated upon the common qnince,
probably the apple or pear ounce or seedlings
from them, These were dlcartiSh efsouqh and
though they had been planted years, had borne s
but little. and decidedly realized the idea which
used to prevail, that ounce rooted pears were
necessarily poor, weakly and short lived trees; but
the other HOO or 1905 were fine trees, imported
from France, and grown on the Anglers ounce,
or some other hybrid variety, equally adapted to
this purpose aud their condition was in striking
contrast to that Of the others, thrifty healthy Of
vigorous growth, and bearing all they were able
to do without injury. Having been carefully thin
ned out, the fruit was large and of fine quality
and presented rich treat to the eye, as we'll as
promise OF richer one bye and bye to the palate.
Among them were loo trees three rows1 of the
variety called Duchess d. Angouleme, which had
been planted four years, and were bearing nearly
enough, and am not sure but quite enough, to
pay the cost of the trees, planting. and the land
they stood on. for he had bargained the whole
crop to a dealer in Philadelphia at 81 per DOZEN
who would undoubtedly realize II IL cents each
for them; and how many pears, at that price,
would it take to pay 90 or IS cents for tree and
% to plant, and mulch, and tend it properly
the first year, and also, the 400th part of, say
$780, for an acre of land, (they were feet apart,
with Is feet between some rows) and for two or
three pounds of guano per annum, for three yrs,
at IL cts. per ID /? [ reckon dozen and half
would not be out Of the way plucked one or
two of them, although not full, grown, to bring
home and compare with my own, which were
growing on trees only two years planted but they
weighed 10 IL and l6 ounces, and mine only III
"a and u ounces.
This, by the way, is variety which always sue
ceeds best on warm, rich light soil, and as mine
was heavy and the Sfess' 5rtly planted some Is
months, didn't feel exactly inclined to 'give up
the ship" as yet. But to return to guano, which
came pretty near being lost scent of in running
over this orchard, there two or three points of
some consequence, to be determined by the cult
vator before using it, and his success, presuming
of course, that he buys good article will be very
much in proportion to the correctness of his prac
tice in regard to them-the quantity, the time
and the mode Of application. The quantity should
be enoU9h-the time, long enough before the seed
for it to impart to the soil all its aerd and caus-
tic properties, and become thoroughly mild and
the mode should be to cover deep in light soils,
and less deep in proportion as they are heavier.
Maine Farmer. f