Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1854-09-22
Gnnno as q Manure.

WASHINGTON, Sept THE "Guano Question oc
cupied the attention OF special committee of the
House of Representatives during the last session
The committee found that three successive Admins
+atons had made strenuous exertions to reduce the
,rica of Peruvian guanO without effect and recon-
nenled that duty be laid on Chinchia Island Qua
M unless the Peruvian government shall, after due
pnresen taton, grant merchants tho right TO pur
chase the article upon the terms of the most favored
nation.
Guano has proved expensive delusion, some
ding of a humbug. 1t used by the Tncas .hree
or four hundred years ago with great advantage but
is too fast for these times. 1t eXngnishes the seed
with which it comes In contact. and nearly burns up
the soil itself. The price of Guano here is from
fifty to sxty-fve dollars per ton of 1000 lbs Its
use is chiefly confined 10 the districts between the
Delaware and the Capes of the Chesapeake. The
farmers III that region coming TO the conclusion
that the immense sums expended upon fiery stimu.
lants 10 their soils have been thrown away Its use
has been particularly disastrous this year. Ii de.
stroved nearly all the Indian corn planted with it
The re- planted the same lands came up, it is
trnp but was caught by the drought and will not
mature; and the singular spectacle is presented of
fair crop on lands not matured at ALL and of no pro-
duct worth gathering IN adjoining fields Overspread
With this costly but most deeterious foreign sub
stance It is estimated that two millions of dollars
we're extended last Spring by the farmers OF Viz
g;nia, MARYLAND, the District of Columbia and Della
ware in the purchase of Guano, and that they have
lost five millions of dollars in consequence.
Mr. Marcy in his instructions to Mr.. Clay, our
Minister near the Peruvian Government, estimate s
the deposes of guano in the possession OF Peru at
100000 900 tons The exports to the United States
in 1852 he states at AZ, 900 tons The cost of this
quantity to our farmers in that year about 81
600 900 The Secretary supposes that if existing
disabilities removed, ii might be offered in
markets at $50 or $50 per ton. The Special Com
mittee however, report the current price of The ton
of 224O pounds to be $50, and do not suppose it
be reduced below S48 per ton, which, they say
would extravaganrly pay for the article, AS, how
ever, experience will soon cause the general aban-
lonment of its use in the United States, the whole
inquiry is more curious than useful.
But as what is curious is interesting" send you
a letter of minister, Mr.. Clay detailing many
facts in respect to the guano deposit and the trade
in the article Mr. Clay it will be remembered,
states that the guano of the Chincha Islands alone
cannot be exhausted in less than a century. This
is not borne out by the report of Admiral -, spe-
caIIy appointed to make the inquiry, who estimates
the amount of the deposite on this groupe not more
than 5000, 900 tons. Two hundred thousand tons
were brought away in 1852 at which rate the whole
quantity would be exhausted in forty years. Cor
lespoadence ~ Y. Courier.