Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1855-04-26
GUANO-ITS VALUE.

Boou VI uau rualItlcs al BuanO, accOruINp
as the benefits received therefrom by those
who have used this manure, have been
greater or less. Not few affirm that it
is worthless in all respects as fertilizer,
and wholly dscaim any connection with it
for agricultural purposes. Others again
have Viewed it more ,iavorably, and have
tried it to some extent, thereby offering an
induccmcnt for others 10 benefit by their ex-
pericnce. by this means the great import
ancc of guano as fertilizing agent for ag-
rlcutural purposes, has become extensively
appreciated by the farmer, and will no
doubt gradually increase in favor until It's
unqucslionable utility will be acknowledge
ed by all Therefore, in order to further
promote the use OF this desirable manure,
it shall be my object IN this article, to give
the result of one or two experiments, Sc
lected from an experience of its Use for the
last eight or nine years And here will
premise by saying that the statements sub
joined, are the results Of experiments care
fully made personally for the purpose of
testing the rclatiye value Of guano as a
fertilizer in comparison with that of barn
yard manure, and also 10 compare the cost
of each in proportion to the effects pro-
duccd.
About the time that guano was first in
troduced, resolved TO experiment with it,
upon field of six acres at the lower end Of
the farm, whereon was growing at the time
meagrc crop of oats, scarcely sufficient TO
pay for the cost of cultivation. This field
had become thoroughly exhausted in conse.
qucnce OF being constantly cropped by the
former owner, and was comparatively val
ulcss unless an outlay in stable manure
equivalent TO the cost Of the land was ap-
piled. The soil was light and the surface
somewhat rolling. But before executing
my intention, however, deemed it expcdi.
ent TO advise with my hired man, as had
been informed that his knowledge of the
value OF stable manure was considerable,
and hence might DC Of use to me to de-
termine the comparative cost Of the two
manures. Awaiting myself of an opportu-
nifty that presented, while cleaning an ad-
joining meadow which was overgrown with
briars, broached the subject to him, and
inquired what amount Of stabl G manure he
thought would b. adequate to renovate the
field sufficiently to produce a crop Of y heat
and timothy. The answer which he gave
with much satisfaction, is worthy Of being
recorded, and was in the following words :
"rhat it would take foot Of dung 10
bring wheat and timothy" Consequently
we abandoned all farther IDEA Of an arth.
meical calculation of the cost of stable ma
nurc, as being utterly hopeless and impos-
ible, and | confined myself wholly to the
application of guano and the effects pro-
duced.
Alter the oat crop had been removed, we
plough,d tn, surface as deep as it could lie
done, under the circumstances, nasmuch
as the soil had n,ver been ploughed for the
previous half century TO greater depth
than three inches, and therefore we could
not obtain as good a tilth as wc should
have desired. AT the proper time for SOW
ing wheat, we applied three hundred
pounds of Peruvian guano the acre and
ploughad it under as soon after being
spread as possible, thereby preventing the
ammonia from escaping, and losing one Of
its principal tcr'ilzng properties. Having
thus prepared the ground and applied the
guano, the seed was sown at the rate Of
two bushels to the acre, and after being
carefully narrowed in, the result was pa
tiently waited for. In a short time the
wheat made its appearance in very even
and uniform manure, indicating an cquali-
ty Of growth rarely exceeded, aud which
continued until maturity. When the crop
was harvested and thrcshed, the yield was
accurately measured, and the average pro
duct to the acre was found to be fraction
over twenty bushels of good plump grain.
A handsome crop of clover the ensuing
season should not be overlooked, as the
permanent effects of this application was
apparent on the future crops for number
of years.
Hence it will be observed that the actu-
al cost per acre to produce this extraordi-.
nary result, was very Insignificant for the
price of guano at that time was but two
cents per pound.
The foregoing method of applying guano
was so satisfactory, and continued to be so
thenceforh in other applications, that we
concluded it might possibly be very cfiic-
lent manure for top-dressing, and accord
ingly we made number of experiments to
ascertain its advantages in this respect !;
and in one case Of an exhausted potato
patch, where the wheat during The winter
presented the appearance of no farther crop
at all, the effect was truly surprising. Up
on this piece of wheat, ,containingiabout ono
acre, we sowed in the spring, which is the
proper time, two hundred and fifty pounds
Peruvian guano, just before rain, thus
causing the soluble parts to pass down inn
mcdiately to the roots, and thus absorbing
the ammonia that would otherwise have
been lost. The yield Of grain upon this
acre far exceeds that OF any other in tho