Smyrna times., 1859-03-17
The Importations of Guano.

III 4OOO, congress passed law proYldln
that whenever American citizens discovered
guano island, not under the protection of an
: other Government, and made the proper repor
TO the proper authorities at Washington. the
should be protected in the right of occupying
1t and removing its deposits Under the pro
Visions of this act nearly fifty islands have beer
discovered and reported to the National Gov
erGment. They nearly all lie in the Pacific
but few of them are in the Atlantic ocean,
We may, therefore, expect that from these
island', and from other islands in the Caribbean
sea, belonging to the Governments contgun:s
TO them, as well as from the rich m; ne of wealth
Peru possesses in hef Chincha islands, large
supplies OF guano will continue TO be placed
whhln the reach of our farmers. We regard
this as very fortunate circumstance. Itsan
alarming fact, that the productive power of
I~any of our best agricultural regions is dCcrca-
sing. For time a large portion of the soil
OF Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware, appeared
to be almost entirely exhausted.
The great success which the Peruvian gu
ano met with shortly after its introduction,
made 1t, in great measure, the standard by
which all other guanos were tested but it es-
sentIally differs from the guanos found upon
the other islands we have alluded to, in the
TACT that it contains large per centage of AMI
MONA, while the deposits c f the other islands
consists chiefly of phosphate Ingredients All |
the deposits are originally formed from the ex
crement of birds but the Chncha islands are
IN ralnless latitude, and the ammonia of the
original deposits is thus retained for long Sc.
rIes OF years, and forms the most important por-
tIon OF the article presented for sale to the
farmer. The other guanos are deposited upon
islands which are subjected, at certain seasons
OF the year, to very heavy rains, which wash
out their animal matter and ammonia, leaving
upon the islands little else than the mineral
constituents, which arc formed chiefly from the
bones ut the fishes upon which the birds sub
'ISt In some cases these guanos are found in
| puverizcd condition, while in others they
ave, by the action Of centuries, been trans.
ormed into solid rocks, which mast be ground
o fine powder before they can be pro6tably
sed by farmers. When these phosphate GU. :
nos were first introduced, there was consider.
BILE hesltancy upon the part of agricutursts
n using them atall bIt many thousands of c
ons have now been sold in this country. in |
ing land, and on the Continent, and have civen
'reat satisfaction. They vary very much in d
alue, analyzing from 30 to 95 per cent. of S
one phosphate Of lime. They act upon the {
oil very much the same way ground bones
ut as bones contain but about fifty per cent. of .
he Phosphates or % 81 per cent. of the phos- =,
horIc acid, the superior varieties of phosphate !
uanos, which contain from eighty to ninety :,
T 20 per ceut. Of the phosphates are more j.
aluabIe fertilizers than bones themselves.
The most valuable portions of the food con-
umed by men and animals are used to form i
heir bones. The fishes of the great decp scour r
he ocean for their allotted food the birds in
lrn consume the fishes, and resort to desert ia
stands as places for rest and incubation; while p
ian, by making guano a merchantable article. "
walls himself Of their labor. 1t has been found
an analysis OF the ashes of burnt wheat, C
orn, rye, ETC., that nearly half of that ash con. o
ats OF phosphoric acid, the very substance in II
hIch bones aud phosphate guanos are par. d
cuiarly rich; Tint mineral constituents of b
hose plants cannot be obtained from any other
uarter than from the soil itself When the q
Dill becomes destitute Of phosphoric acid, it is G
tterly impossible to raise upon il those valu. il
Bile productions; and constant cropping spec. j.
lily exhausts the soil Of phosphoric acid But e.
has fortunately been found in numberless in
tances, when 1t is restored by the application
guano, that barren places are once more L
lade to bloom and blossom as the rose"
This subject is an important one, and well tt
eserving the attention of our farmers. While o.
re can we'll understand their natural aversion +
} incurring excessive expenditures, if it can n
e shown that these guanos can be purchased h
such prices as will enable them, by increased 5
rops, and the improvement of their soils, to II
lake a profit by using them, they are we'll l.
'orthy of their consideration. In Scotland. A
there farmers are particularly thrifty and in tt
elligent, extremely large quantities of artifi. 81
ial fertilizers are constantly used, notwith.
tandlng the very economical habits of the
irmers for the reason, it is alleged, that they a
re enabled to greatly promote their own in- p
erests by purchasing the respective varieties f
# guanOs, super phosphate of lime, etc. thus v
Gaping a rich profit for the money thus in. [
Press.
{
Cheap Postage Forever. a
The failure of Congress to pass the Post or /