Semi-weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1852-1853, 1853-04-20
ACTION OF GUANo ON TOBACCO.

| A subscriber, says the Richmond Enquirer, furn
ishes with the following interesting letter, relative
to the importance of guano in raising heavy crops
tobacco. The letter, at this season, particularly
cannot be otherwise than interesting tc all growers
tobacco:
CUMBERLAND, Feb. 8, 1853.
My DEAR SIR: Yours of the 10Th ult. did no
reach till last Saturday. in consequenceiof having
been directed 10 Farmvile, instead of Stony Poin
Mills; and take the earliest opportunity to reply
TO it.
My experiment in growing such heavy crop Of
TOBACCO last year, has attracted great deal Of atter
ton, and take pleasure in detailing it for the bene
fit of the planting interest of the State. The ground
was Pretty Literally dressed with homemade ma.
ought always to be done, if we would grow tobacco
prOftably. When was going to bed the land for
billing or rubbing down, which prefer, sowed on
each acre the following mixture bushels sifted
Peruvian Guano, weighing, judge, about one hun
dred pounds intimately mixed with one bushel ground
alum salt. then mixed % bushels Mexican Guano
i-weighing, suppose, one hundred and sixty or one
hundred and seventy Pounds-and bushels of Ket.
tlewel's Mixture of Potash and Plaster about one
hundred and fifty hundred and sixty pounds
and shoVeed them all well together, and sowed the
mixture broadcast. The cost of the whole was
about SIG 25 per The crop that was planted in
god time-I scarce of plants, and the seasons
very difficult am suro gave me two thousand
pounds per The tobacco topped from
eighteen TO twentyfV leaves and ripened remarka-
bly, we'll to the top leaf, without firing. The tobac-
very fine quality, and remarkably sweet.
My reasons for this mode of cultivation are few
and simple. Our old lands in this region, and, l
doubt generally in middle Virginia. are de-
cient in phcsphates and potash than any other of the
mineral manures and the tobacco plant must have
these elements in order rpen it well. The Peru
Wan GuaDo has but a small part of its value in phos-
phates-onIy about one-sixth, and fve-sxths of its
money value, $40 to the ton, in ammonia,
which powerfully stimulates the growth of tobacco,
without causing it to ripen, without giving it the
healthy growth which will it against firing.
The Mexican Guano is the richest that has been
brought to the country in phosphates, containing 81
to 60 per cent? and only two per cent. of am
monia. Consequently about ive.sixths of its money
value is in the phosphates, and about one-sixlh in
the ammonia. This suggested the idea of mixing
the two! The salt put with the Peruvian to x
the ammonia, and to furnish the muriates and the
soda. But she tobacco plant specially needs pot
ASH especially in its rpening process-the outer coat
of the stalk and the stems being formed principally
of sileciate of potash Thus you see, glance what
aimed to accomplish by my mixture.
The success was beyond my expectations. 1t was
the heaviest crop of tobacco l saw-and said
every who it.
/ The Mexican Guano can be had at Baltimore, at
$25 per ton, of 224O pounds. Sterling & Ahrens
deal in it. The Potash and Plaster, Mr.. Ketlew ell
of Baltimore prepares, and sells at So SO per
barrel, of about 800 pounds.
lost, may say. tobacco by fire, while every
one of my neghbors had cut their crops for fire.
With high regard, yours very truly,
J. S. ARMISTEAD.