Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-10-25
masbiugtun gmtinel.
Minutes OF Agricultural Facts and obser-
Yati0nR

SOetecee~ una HOted Oy me agricultural Com
missioner, and ordered 10 be published By
ne Ereeutire Committee Of The Virginia
agricultural Society.
REPEATED APPLICATIONS OF GUANo LOSING
.4.ii.8 EFFECT.
Mr.. Edmund J. Plowden, of ST. Mary's
county, Md, cultivates, near the mouth OF the
Wlcomico river, emptying into the Potomac,
opposite Westmoreland, Va. The land in
question had been lined in 1910, with $50
bushels OF Stacked lime to the acre; the lime
burnt OF shells of the "Indian banks" which
IRON admixture of bones, &c. contains about
two per cent of phosphate of lime The land
rad, not originally fertile, bore pine partly at
hrst, and had been under second growth of
pine previous to the second clearing. Follow
lag crop of corn in 1874, the same autumn
Peruvian guano had been ploughed under for
wheat, 200 pounds to the acre. The crop
good, and the benefit from guano satisfactory
Il being necessary to make change of the
feids or OF the cropping, the same Tin wheat
stubbie) was again ploughed for and sown in
wheat with 200 pounds of Patagonian guano
ploughed under. The effect good and the
crop OF wheat satisfactory. The land had
been sown In clover, and produced a very
good growth, and remained under that crop
the succeeding year, las usually was grazed
bat partially after May 10th, and ploughed un.
DER In August for wheat, for which wheat or
clover failow) there was ploughed under third
application of l50 pounds of Peruvian guano.
Far or moderate product of wheat, not SO
good as before, and the clover succeeding infe-
rior, though good clover season. After one
year OF clover, corn, tolerable crop. No
wheat followed the corn that autumn; but
next year the land was ploughed for wheat Ia
usual practice, and good for destroying blue
grass, and called corn-stubble fallow,n) and
l50 pound of guano applied. The crop of
wheat llo52) was very inferior to every one
OF the former crops, and inferior as he thinks,
t. what would have been the crop If no guano
had ever been used. The clover following was
q very scanty sprinkling of plants, and these
OF very poor growth. The weed which have
Possession Of the ground are such as belong
10 poor land. All the guano used in this series
OF years, 100 pounds in all to the acre. was
bought OF the importers, and each lot believed
to be good of its kind
With the above first two, or perhaps, three
applications of guano, there was ntermixed
and sown half a bushel of gypsum to the acre;
but not approving the addition, the gypsum
was afterwards omitted
Mr.. Plowden further states that his country
man, DIR. Robert Neale, ian intelligent, obser.
want, and scientific farmer,) used on piece Of
land, Tor corn, $50 pounds of guano, ploughed
under broadcast, and 200 pounds more in the
drills, on the same space, 450 pounds in ALL
The corn stood very thick, the season was
plenty wet, and the product very heavy. Mr.
T. saw the crop standing, and it was supposed
to be equal to 90 or 100 bushels to the acre
Next year the same land was prepared for to-
bacco, with another application Of $50 to 800
Mounds MIR al
From the time the tobacco plants were set out,
they continued stunted, and scarcely grew at
al, and produced scarcely any crop On a
part OF the same, MANFRED from the farm yard.
ION the guano for the previous corn crop only, J
there was made very fine crop of tobacco.
This land OF DR.. Neale's is part of section OF
country on which guano has been found to be
peculiarly efhcacious.
PER coyTRA.-GooD EFFEcTs OF REPEATED
DRESSINGS OF GUANo.-Mr. w. NJ Amber, OF
river, in ls4s applied 24O pounds of guano per
and brought about ten bushels to the acr rsa Il
exact measured product being small nor,; ;ne
over or under that quantity. This was 5eer,oJ
gooo ana profitable effect, az the land would
have scarcely brought wheat at all, without the
guano Clover seed had been sown, and a
pected on other land yielding ten Bushels OF
wheat Next year the land was in corn. after
100 to 10 pounds Of guano added and brought
crop satisfactory from the manure used, but
the product not measured separately. "a light
cover OF wheat straw had been plouphed nnder
preceding the corn-( The ground sown the
same autumn latter the corn) in wheat, on 300
pounds more OF guano. The product was SUD.
posed, by estimate, 70 be IL bushels to the acre;
$50 pounds of guano, in all, applied from ls49
TO 1887 The clover was grazed, and seemed
q moderate crop
In all other cases Of repeated and excessive
applications, in Mr.. Ambier's experience. and
observation in this neighborhood there has
been no diminution of effect in the last. com.
pared to the early applications. The locality
Is about thirty miles above the eastern visible
granite. Lime has been repeatedly tried on
his farm, aid in various ways, and has pro.
duced no effects.
WANT or AcTIoS, OR OF PROFITABLE Re.
SUITS OF GUASo.-Guano as manure has been
50 generally found beneficial, and also in most
cases profitable, that success seems 70 be the
general rule, and failures are but executions
70 the rule. This readily admit. at least az
to immediate or early effects-though remain.
Ing more in doubt as to results of much later
times. Heretofore In all the numerous publ.
cations on gnano, we have seen little else of
facts stated than cases of successful and prof
table applications Of this manure. OF such
exampG6cations Of the working Of the general
rule, 50 many have been published, and so
many have been observed or otherwise known
by almost every intelligent farmer, that il
would be useless for me TO swell these minutes
by adding more Of such facts of successful use.
But, though not so published, or generally
known, there arc also many well authenticated
facts OF faiure-snd within the accurate prac.
tee and observation Of good farmers. Il is
important that such failures, or the absence of
profitable results or Of but partial success, and
whether in first applications or after several
repetitions, shall be made as well known. In
Offering the following minutes Of some such
cases, il is by no means my object to oppose
the judicious and cautious use Of guano.
E.R.
DIR. Vim. i. Gaines, Of Hanover, has used
Ruano for five or six years, and in all about %
or thirty tons on his farm Powhite, bordering
on Chichahomihy. The soil light. The aver.
A, q, $500. I,,.slo,,t . Il l. e