Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1857-05-08
Agricultural.
GUANO.


the New York Tribune:
The price of Peruvian guano has risen
since it was first introduced and extern
sively used in this country, from about
$40 to about $40 ton, and now the
farmers cry out, "What shall we do
we can't afford to use it?''
That settles the question. No farmer
should do what he cannot afford to do. -
But we should like to inquire whether he
can afford to do without something to
fertilize his land, no matter what the
cost.
We are aware that the price of guano
has risen almost beyond the reach Of all
but those living near cities, who derive
large profits by forcing specific crops, to
feed those who are waiting, whether able
or not, to pay high prices for their daily
supply Of vegetable food.
We are aware, too, that outrageous
frauds have been practised upon farmers
by the adulteration of various kinds of
stuff-stuff it is--sod to farmers as guano,
superphosphates, poudrette, bone DUST or
some other name, for a concentration of
fertility, to be miraculously instilled into
Il barren soil by homeopathic doses of
quackery and knavery's specific.
We are aware that, avoiding all the
tribe of swindlers, and getting an honest
penny's worth for his money, the owner
Of poor soil must expend considerable
sum Of money for fertilizers of some
kind or else he will fail to get remu-
nerative crop from any soil that has been
long titled in the Atlantic States and
any advice upon the subject as to what
he shall use is important.
Upon all WORKOUT sandy Or loamy
soil, the cultiyator can afford to use No.
! guano at $40 a ton, at the rate of 300
pounds to the acre, we'll worked into the
soil with small grain, if with that grain
he will SOW clover seed, so that the growth
of that will take up all that the grain does
not of the fertilizing powers of the guano,
acd in its turn serve for rich dressing
of manure to the land, renovating it so
as to produce other grain or root crops
without further application of expensive
fertilizers.
Upon many crops the farmer can afford
to use guano at $40 as well as he could
seven Or eight years ago at $50 the ton
because there is more than that increase
in the value of the products obtained
now and then. And upon all crops that
will not pay without artificial fertilizers,
and will pay with, he can afford to use
guano at the present high price, if he
cannot get anything cheaper; and that,
IN many instances, he can do. For spe-
cial purposes, superphosphates, if hon
estly prepared, are preferable to guano,
at the same cost per ton; and as a gem
cral thing they do not cost near as much.
First of all, however, before the farm
er goes abroad to buy fertilizers for his
crops, he should look for a mine of them
ut home. If he carefully examines his
soil, if a loamy Or clayey one, from ten
to twenty inches below the surface he
will find something almost y valuable as
a guano island, and as full of fertilizers
as snperphcsphatc mandatory or IA
barreling shop of swamp-muck, (pou-
drette y or baggiug room of yellow
earth and hens bones and feathers, (prc-
pared guano)
1t is tolerably well-founded theory of
some cultivators of the earth, that all
that is needed to keep up an eternal fer
tility of a rich soil is deep tillage and fine |
pulverization, and rotation of crops,
portion of which are to be turned in
green and it is contendcd that such
course is far profitable than one that
requires the purchase of any foreign or
concentrated fertilizer Of course it is
understood that the principal crops are
to be consumed by domestic animals on
the farm, and that the sales of animal
products must always equal the sale of
grain products; and that all the fertili-
zing properties of consumed produce must
be husbanded and returned to the soil.