Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1858-08-06
TURNER'S Gplunrn.
TFrom the Cambridge Herald
Thoughts and Queries on the Guant
Subject.

From the Cambridge Herald /
Thoughts and Queries on the Guano
Subject.
As the time approaches for the purchase
of Guano for the ensuing fall demand
We find the price of this almost indis-
pensable fertilizer again advancing. We
are therefore led to enquire whether
there is any real cause for the late worry
high price and present adyanceY or
whether it is merely owing TO an undue
spirit Of spcculationt onsshIpart Of city
dealers? How is this thing to be asccr-
tanned and if found to be q fact, how
remedied?
1t is now generally agreed that the
average price of grain will not justify
the use of Guano at present prices and
yet many of our farmers are free to ac.
knowledge it utterly useless to seed their
lands without using this article. What,
then, is the farmer to do ?--toil on for
the benefit of the few engaged in vend-
ing this article, to the loss Of the many
who are honestly and honorably engaged
in using it? BY no means The mere
sigM of luxuriantly waving grain and
abundant harvests will not compensate
the grower in the absence of clear cash
These may serve for him to admire and
boast of, occasionally, but will not pay.
Political economy teaches that, in
commerce, prices are regulated by the
ever-varying law of supply and demand !;
but of late years this rule seems to have
exceptions. Prices are now, in great
measure, subject to the caprice of corps
of had like to have said--unprincipled
spectators and these once backed
by moneyed men and moneyed institu-
tons, that do not scruple to replenish
their already overlooking Golfers even by
draining those already nearly empty.
Farmers have now experimental far
enough in this line, to know what Guano
is worth to them; and as they are, gen.
orally speaking, men of good common
, sense, they must know it is not sound
policy to pay more than it is worth
,, just so long as they agree to pay sixty
u five or seventy dollars ton, ii is eviden
. : dealers will not reduce their price to fift,
dollars. And as soon as they (the farm
ors) find it can be furnished at tho latte
! price, and abstain from the use of it 70
a year or two-which they can do, in
great measure, without suffering any los
Z -thon, and net ill then, will they b
: furnished on "liyng terms"
1t cannot be high rates of freight tina
/, cause the price of this article to rule g
high, for we are told that no department
of trade has suffered more from the lat
and present depression in business, than
shipping interests Nor is it owing t.
light supplies, for statistics show tina
40, 900 tons were brought into the por
of Baltimore alone during the past year
ard we hear of no abatement whatever
in receipts of the present year. Ware.
houses are almost constantly filled to theil
utmost capacity, and yet we are Informed
Of an "advance."
Again we enquire, how is the farmer
to ascertain the actual value of ton o.
Guano? and when found how is he tC
obtain it at its value? There must be {
mode of solving both these problems
and it is all important that it should BE-
done. Those most interested are tht
men who have it in their power to Dc
this thing farmer will undertake
!. it? QUERIsT.