The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1860-11-22

AMERICAN GUANo-EXtracts OF letters and reports
of Baron Won Liehig, President of the Royal Academy
Of Sciences and Professor Of Chemistry NJ Munich,
upon the American guano from Bakers and Jarvis
Islands, forwarded TO John b. Sardy. Esq, as
agent for WIN. II. Webb. by James X. Mac Donald,
E>q-, United States Consul At Hamburg. Under date
Of August llth, 1850, Mr.. Mac Donald writes
" Enclosed | send yos a letter IF much i'm
pOrtance, containing n report from Baron Won Liebig,
which leaves nothing 10 bc desired. Professor Liebig,
after reporting the analysis OF the Guano in the most
scientific manner (and 10y various tests states that
there are no analyses male on order in the chemical
laboratory Of the Royal Academy, and that | take
charge Of this examination by exception, ret to gain
something 10y IL, but as | felt n great interest in the
matter. The Bakers Island
guano contains more ph sphoric acid than any other
known fertilizer and II Is similar III It's ingredients
20 natural Phosphorite, differing from it however, in
the following remarkable particulars -Phcsphorite
Is in a crystalized state, and Is completely insoluble
in water. The Bakers Island guuno, on the contra
r., is arnorphous, is soluble to a considerable extent
in pure water, and when mCistened colors litmus
paper red. The Jarvis Island guauo has also an acid
reaction, and Is partly soluble in water. 1t ia
worthy Of remark. that the Jarvis guano, although
only half as rich in earthly phosphates as the Bakers
gives TO water 4 greater quantity of soluble phosphoric
acid. | regard the discovery Of these guano deposits
as a most fortunate event for agriculture. At the
present time the prices Of fertilizers like bones are
now cOntin ually ON the increase, and soon the agri-
culturst will not be able 10 procure, at paying rates,
an amount sufficient for his wants. Bakers Island
guanO, being Of all fertilizers the richest in phosphoric
acid, will be Of especial importance. As far rs
chemistry can judge, there Is hardly room for n doubt
that in all cases where the fertility of a field would be
increased by the use OF bone dust, the Bakers Island
guanO will he used with decided advantage. The
phosphate Of lime in the Bakers Island guano is far
more easily dissolved than that Of bones, and if we
take the proportion of that ingredient to he 60 lbs. in
the latter, one hundred pounds in the Bakers Island
are equivalent TO one hundred and forty lbs. of bones.
Thus the agriculturist would he benefited rs much by
using seventy pounds Of Bakers Island guano ms by
one hundred pounds Of bone dust. This guanO con-
tains, in ammonia, nitric acid and azotic substances,
nearly one per cent, of active nitrogen \ small
addition Of salt of ammonia would give it the full
strength of Peruvian guano.
For turnips, clover, &c, the Jarvis Island guano
is just as good as the Bakers. Judging simply from
its per centage of phosphates, it is of less value as an
article of importation but it is rich in sulphate Of
lime, which is also n fertilizer and its phosphoric
acid is ofhigher value, as nearly all Oft exists in solu-
bic phosphate of lime. The Jarvis Island guano would
seem 10 be an excellent means of restoring cotton or
sugar plantations whose soil has been worn out by
long-continued cultivation. | think it is preferable
to Peruvian guano, which, being rich i'll ammonia,
tends rather to great development Of leaves and
stems."-.E y. Journal Of Commerce.