Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1853-04-18
Action ofGuano on Tobacco.

A subscriber furnishes with the follow
ing interesting letter. relative to the impor-
tance ofguano in raising heavy crops OF tobac-
co.-Enquirer
My Dear Sir: Yours Of the 10 ult., did not
reach me till last Saturday, in consequence
Of having been directed to Farmvile, instead
of Stony Point Mills and | take the earliest
opportunity 10 reply to it.
My experiment in growing such heavy
crop of tobacco last year. has attracted a great
deal of attention, anC take pleasure in de.
failing it for the benefit OF the planting interest
of the State. The ground was pretty liberal
ly dressed with home made manures, from my
stables, farm-pens and pits as | think ought
always be done, if we would grow tabacco
pro6tably When l was going to bed the land
for hilng, or rubbing down, which l prefer,
| sowed on each acre the following mixture ::
2 bushels sifted Peruvian Guano, weighing |
judge, about one hundred pounds, intimately
mixed with one bushel ground alum salt.
then mixed % bushels Mexican Guano-
weighing. l suppose. one huadred and sixty
or one hundred an1 seventy ponnds and
shoveled them well together and sowed the
mixture broadcast. The cost of the whole
was about Sc 25 per acre. The crop that
was planted in good tme-I was scarce of
plants, and the seasons very difficult am
sure, gave me two thousand poundsper acre
The tobacco was topped from eighteen to
twenty five leaves, and rpened remarkably
well to the top leaf, without firing, The to-
bacco was cultivated tor the manufacturers,
and is of very fine quality. and remarkably
sweet.
NV reasons for this mode Of cultivation are
few and simple. Our old lands in thir region,
and doubt not generally in middle Virginia.
are more deficient in phosphates and potash
than any other of mineral ma0ures; and the
tobacco plant must have these elements In or
der to ripen it we'll The Peruvian Guapo,
has bat small part Of its value in phosphates
only about one .xth, and hve-s xths OF Its
money value, or near $40 dollars to the ton,
in ammonia, which powerfully stimulates the
growth OF tobacco. without causing 1t TO ripen,
or without giving it the healthy growth which
will secure it against firing. The Mexican
Guano is the richest that has been brought to
he country in phoephates, containing 81 to
so per cent Of ammonia. Consequently about
fve-sxths of its money value IS in phosphates,
and about onosixth in the ammonia. This
suggested the idea OF mixing the two! The
salt was put with the Peruvian TO fix the ammo
MIA, and to furnish the nluriates and the soda.
But the tobacco plant spec ally needs potash,
espec ally in its ripening process-the outer
coat of the stalk and the stems being formed
principally Of siteciate potash Thus you see
at glance, what aimed to accomplish by my
mixture.
The success was beyond my expectations.
1t was the heaviest crop of tobacco ever saw
and SO said every one who saw it.
| The Mexican Guano can be had at Balti-
more, at S25 per ton of 224o pounds. Sterl,
Ing & Ahrens deal in it. The Potash and
Plaster, Mr.. Kettlewell of Baltimore prepares,
and sells at So so cts. per BARREL OF about 800
pounds. -,
! lost may say. ne tobacco by fire, while