The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1853-11-15
tor tbe farlmrrs.
The Observation-Disclosures
Application of GuanO during the
present Season.

On the 9th Of July, we paid visit Of in
Ispection to the plantation of Rice Duiin, ESQ.,.
of Charleston. This plantation is situated
nine miles east ofNewberry c. H., and is now
under systematic course of improvement
which reflects great credit upon its liberal pro.
prietor In August we gave sketch Of
the true "farmer:planter" er"-we now have equal
ly as Interesting and necessary a character to
deal with in the "Merchant planter who relies
on rapidly increased and ren,uneratng produc-
ton by the aid Of Il liberal application ofPeru-
vian Guano ,--'---v-S''-- -. -
1t may be as well<to state that in our ride,
we passed the plantations Of Mai R. B. Hpl-
man and Col. John p. kinnrd, and upon their
chinquepin lands, saw admirable results from
the application of guano TO the cotton crop,
and in mostluxuriant and prosperous condi-
ton. These lands were once regarded indif-
fereEt for planting purposes. but with the pro-
cesses OF culture resorted to by their present.
proprietors, they now stand high in value,
when estimated by their productive capacity
Mr.. Du.in's plantation was originally fine and
productive cotton land, aboundlng in decom
posed granite, and resting upon a good clay
subsoil. It's loamy top soil was consequently
we'll adapted, not only to the production of
cotton but small grains. 1t has, however,
been much exhausted by iniudcous groupings
and, like most plantations in South Carolina,
the uplands are the "worse for wear" 1t is
upon these exhausted lands that he has expcr.
imented on quite a large scale, by the applica-
ton ofguano and plaster of Paris, both upon
corn and cotton. In order to make the exper.
iments fair test, he has left and marked rows
of cotton throughout the whole length of his
fields, to which there was nothing applied
The difference in these aud the guanoed crop
is most discern:ble-the former being small,
pale, green, and covered with pale leaves.
showing the presence of parasitical insects, and
promising to yield not much more than 800
pounds of seed cotton to the acre. The Dor
ton to which the 'guano and plaster were aD.
piled was large, !uxurian,ly dark green, cover
ed with bolls and, with favorable autumn,
would promise, 10 judge by appearances a;
least 500 pounds to the acre. Upon the corn
there WAS not much perceptble difference in
that manured with guano and chat to which
liberal quantity of cotton seed had been ap-
piled, with the exception that the former was
about two weeks nearer maturity. evidently
showing that it sa rapidly forcing application
to cereal crops. Mr.. Duln has also made ex
perments with plaster, African guano, Kettle
wells salts, and Common Sait but that to
which the two latter were applied exhibited
but little perceptble difference from the por
tion on which no manure was used Plaster.
however, he thinks about as good for cotton
as common stable or compost manurcs. The
African guano was of no value whatever.
On the oat crop the most marked difference
was made nlanilestby the application OF gnano
We saw in a very poor field, the soil of which
WAS completely exhausted, and nothing left
but Il glady su5sratum Of pipe clay and mica,
single breadth upon wIlichglauo was applied,
and while the rest of the field showed from the
stubble that the crop was not worth gathering,
this portion attess the vaue"f this fertilizer bv
its rank and thick stubb!e, which Mr. Hopkins,
the efficient Overseer, told us grew as good
oats as he would desire to harvest. The ula-
no Was applied to the cotton at the rate of so
pounds to the acre, well mixed with 100 lbs
of plaster, and sOwn in the drill. The cost of
this application WAS, all told, four dollars per
acre. Corn received spoonful 10 the hill.
We observed that field of rich bottom land
had received its dose Of guanO though
this land WAS deep alluvial, and to the eyes Of
most planters. would require no manure at all
with good Seasons, to produce 40 or 50 bush.
els ofcorn per acre still the spirited -Ncrchnnt
Piaater determined to sec the difference in the
production made by this application, on rich
rs well as on exhausted lands There was Il
very marked difference in the color of the
corn, as well as in its luxuriancc and general
forwardncsS, over that which had received no
guano. Whist upon low land, we took great
pleasure in observing the very extensive opcr.
atiors of cnhauking in process "n this piant:.
ton. There is noa finished about II mile Of
l.vce, twelve feet high. with thirty foot base
which, when comp pleted, will protect sever
hundred acres of fine auya swamp aud from
!reshets and al this will be done at cost OF
at least five thousand dollars. The rccama
ton of car low lands, and Their protection from
frc.ie : should il" III important con>j,I,. at on
with .hr i,"i,i" %! Souti; Carols "a. Wr were
much lyas, ii 80 see syvcra: hundred acre, oi
stnLblr Ian. SUWE ia rn;S l,InJIr.;si - r,itl t,i