Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1856-04-09
Good News for the Farmers.

The discovery and use of Guano has made
q new era in Agriculture. It's rapidly ferti-
lizing properties renders it one of the most
improvers within the reach of far
mers, and therefore every thing relating to
it is stamped with an interest that cannot
be fully appreciated outside of the sphere of
it's agency. The supply of this excellent
manure has for several years, although large,
been scarcely adequate to meet the constant
ly increasing demand. The Island of Icha-
boo, where it was, we believe, first obtained,
has been exhausted. The Islands off the Pc
ruvian coast, now the principal points from
whence it is shipped, yield immense quaint
ties Of it, but in consequence of the manner
in which the Peruvian Government conducts
the business the prices here are 80 high as to
render it almost too costly for farmers Of
small means. In fact there is no competi-
ton whatever in the trade, and therefore it
has become nothing less than a grinding
monopoly. Peru prescribes her own terms
for it, and from the regularly increasing rates
which she lays on from time to time, it is
clear that she has no idea of abandoning or
moderating her system of exaction. This
being the state of the case, with a greatly en-
HANGED and still growing demand for the ar
ticle and a rigorous market produced by the
grasping cupidity of the government which
supplies ia cupidity which takes every ad-
vantage of the wan of competition-iti s a
most fortunate circumstance that recent dis
~coveries have been made of other and album
dant deposites Of Guano in the Pacific, be.
you'd the boundaries of the South American
republics and easily accessible. Nor is this
the m ost favorable feature of the new discov-
cries. The islands which have been reported
to contain the treasure have been taken pos
session of in the name of the United States,
and will therefore be under influence and
regulation that will serve greatly to facilitate
the operations Of our Agriculturalists. twill
no doubt be welcome intelligence, that meas
ures are about being taken for turning those
islandto immediate account and laying them
open to commerce. We have before US a
small pamphlet containing the Prospectus
Of The American Guano Company" which
has been ORGANIZED in New York, with an
ample capital, for the purpose of importing
this manure from the islands in question, and
there is every reason to believe that in the
course of the current year it will begin to
arrive in the United States. As soon as this
shall be the case, q considerable reduction
Of prices may be confidently expected in the
Guano market, as there will be a double sup
ply and an active competition between the
American and Peruvian trades. On this
point we quote from the pamphlet the fol
lowing passage from the proceedings of a
meeting Of the United States Agricultural
= Society in Washington last January, which
was held with express reference to this sub
r ject:
"A company has been formed in the city
of New York to manage this enterprise, and
an expedition has already been sent out, the
return of which will be looked for with NJ
little anxiety by all who feel an interest IN
the question of agriculture.-Should the ex
:, pectations of the company as to the quantity
q and quality of this Guano peposite be reali
zed, they propose to sell to the American far
,e mer at the rate of $50 to $40 per ton, or a
a about two thirds Of the present price Of Pc
ruvian Guano.
l. with such a reduction in the cost of al
Is article Of prime necessity to the cultiyator
Of the soil, WI may naturally look for o vas
increase in the production Of grain, and 70
!. the general amelioration of the economy {
IL farming"