The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1859-01-19
From the Southern Planter.
Mr.. wINsToy's WHEAT CROP.


ED. SOUTHERN PLASTEn;
Dear Sir.-I herewith send you a state
ment Of my crop Of wheat for the present
year. From it, interesting information may
be derived respecting the utility OF guano as
manure for wheat. The land on which the
wheat was grown, was surved with great care
by an accomplished surveyor.
Number Of acres in wheat, III
Wheat used for seed, 81 bus.
Quantity Of euano (Peruyian) used. 5000 lbs.
:" :. per acre, 255
Produc, of wheat per lIa acres, 22e bus.
per one acre, l94
COST OF PRODUCTION.
Preparation of land, sowing and
Ieaping. q, IS per acre, SIS rs
Thrashing and hauling 226 bushels, 10 90
Cost Of seed wheat at 81 40 per bus. % 40
Cost Of guano Al $50 per ton. 80 90
Total cost Sle0 is
Proceeds Of 226 bus. al 81 40 per bu 3I6 40
Net proceeds, sl25 rs
II is estimated that the same land, without
guano, would have produced 10 bushels per
acre, or Ia bushels for the whole field.
Cost Of production same as before, except
as TO threshing, hauling, and the guano.
Tubs:
Proceeds Of ID bus. at 81 40 per bu., $50 60
Net proceeds. SOS As
Now si25 25-s65 45=59 70-the amount
Of profit due to the 800 outlay for the guano.
Thsis an enormous profit, being about 65
per cent.
MODE OF CULTIVATION,
Corn land deeply plowed with two-horse
pillow: the wheat and guano being s0wn
broadcast by hand, and put in with a two
horse cultiyator.
have taken more than usual pains to test,
during a series Of years, the value Of guano
as manure for wheat. ! have used about
two hundred pounds to the acre. am salts
fed, that on land that will bring IS bushels
Of wheat TO the acre, il docs not ordinarily
pay profit; especially at its present price.
The question is often asked, is guano an
improver of the soil J" To that question,
two answers may be given. Under the clio.
per-friiow system Of farming. il is undoubted,
" rapid improser. Il improves by pro-
noting larger and more luxuriant growth
Of clover.
The introduction of guano, however, has
given rise TO a system OF farming, which
deserves the reprobation Of every intelligent
and dutilui son OF Mother Earth. This is
the practice Of cultiyating the same land in
wheat, or oats, every year. guano being re-
lied on as fertilizer. The soil is thus soon
exhausted Of its proper proportion Of yegeta-
bic mould. or humus, on which its produc-
tive capacity mainly depends; and sterility
must eventually ensue. And, verify, the
last state Of such land is worse than the
FIRST. can point to fields that have been
cultivated in this way. From ence being
rich, they do now show unmistakable signs
Of deterioration. They produced well for
the first two years-then there was gradual
declension. and the crop Of the present year
was almost a total future No soil can re-
tain its fertility long. il it is subjected to
system Of cultivation that exhausts il of its
proper supply Of either mineral or vegetable
matter. The one will not take the place Of
the other. Viewed. then, in this aspect.
unhesitatingly give most decided negative
20 the question under consideration.
In conclusion, we would ask attention TO
the following question; Was not the fail.
ure in the wheat crop this year most signal
on land deficient in vegetable mould, or that
have been in wheat and guano several years
in succession: To this question my own OBJ
seryations would give an affirmative answer.
The question is considered important in its
bearing on the use Of guano, and i i hoped
that II will elicit answers os such kind as
70 Justify the establishment ofa general prin-
ciple.
Very, respectfully,