The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-11-03

For some time past there has been quite sharp
controversy carried on, not only in the Agricul-
tural Journals of this city but also between the
dealers themselves, with regard TO the relative
merits of the different kinds of guano which are
offered for sale in this market The points that
have been mooted interesting, both in an agri-
cultural and a commercial sense, for the trade
in the various fertilizers, which, properly and i'm
properly, pass under the name of guanos, employs
large amount of capital and is annually increas-
ing. For the special benefit then, of our agricul-
tural friends, and for the information OF the public
generally, we propose to state as briefly, yet as
lucidly as we can, wherein lies the difference be-
tween one sort of guano and another, and upon
what principle the market value of each is, or
ought to be determined.
The commercial fertilizers which are sold under
the general name of guano, are capable of division
into three classes, and are, indeed, known TO the
trade as 'ammonacal," phosphate and "man-
lpulated' guanos OF the ammoniacal, the Peru.
Wan guano-which is drawn from the en-
ormous deposits that have accumulated on the
Chincha Islands during the progress of many CEN
turies-occupies, and justly so, the foremost rank,
by reason of the great agricultural value of its
ingredients It's chief advantage over all others
consists in the fact that it contains more than 80
per cent. of organic matter and ammoniacal salts
Its only demerit is, that it is, comparatively, def
Gent in phosphatcs, and, therefore, the good effects
which result from its application 10 impoverished
soils not perceptible for than two seasons,
and very often for not more than one, owing TO
the extremely volatile nature of its principal con-
sttuent
The 'phosphatic'' guanos, properly so called,
have the same origin as the Peruvian or ammo
niacal;" but being derived from Islands that are
situated in latitude where rains frequently occur
rain rarely falling off the Southern coast Of
Peru-they have lost by teaching and by evapor
alton, considerable portion of their volatile salts.
leaving behind an excess of phosphates which are
naturally less soluble.
There are other commercial fertilizers that are
advertised and sold as phosphate guanos, but
which have, in reality, little or no affinity with
guano. They are simply either mineral phosphates,
or so closely resemble the phosphate-of- lime rocks
of the older crystalline formations as scarcely to
be dstinguishable from them, and like them they
are but sparngly soluble in water, and therefore
of Il very low agricultural value when used in
their crude state as imported. When treated, how
ever with sulphuric acid, as in the manufacture of
manipulated guano, these phosphate substances
whether crystalline or amorphous become largely
soluble in water, and may then be used to advan-
tage upon any soil that has been exhausted of its
phosphates by frequent cropping.
The manipulated guauos are, as their name
implies fertilizers in which ammoniacal salts and
phosphate of lime in its most soluble form, have
been blended, more or less sklfully, according to
some special formula, which formula differs among
the several manufacturers of the article both
CARDS the process of manipulation and the relative
proportions of the constituents nsed. The basis,
however, of all, or nearly all the manipulated
guanos, is the Peruvian, to which is added certain
portion of the lower priced phosphate guanos, or
sometimes, though very rarely,--bones dissolved
in sulphurc acid. The object sought TO be at
tanned by combining the ammoniacal with the
phosphate guanos-or with the equivalent for the
latter as represented by dissolved bones-s to fur
nish TO farmers and planters a commodity which
yields sulfciency alike of ammonia and of solu-
BILE phosphates, and therefore more permanent in
its action and better adapted to the requirements
of the growing plants. Such is the theory. Gifts
correctness as tested by experience others must
judge. In England, where commercial fertilizers
are used TO a much greater extent than they are
with U.S. gross authorizations are alleged to be
practised substances wholly worthless as fertil-
izers being frequently intermixed with the genuine
article so as to very materially reduce its value. |
Full one-half of the guano sold in England is
stated to be thus deterioratcd. In the Peruvian
guano, when sold directly from the warehouses
of the agency in this city, no such frauds were
ever known to have been perpetrated; whilst the
official analysis of the State Inspector will indicate
to purchasers of that and of every other kind of
guano imported into this market, the proportion
of ammonia, and of the phospates and organic
matter which each contains. From those analy-
ses a toerably accurate estimate may be made of |
the actual worth of the several varieties Of guano
which are offered for sale by our dealers. With |
regard to the manipulated guanos, which are not |
subject to official inspection, the chief reliance of
the farmer must be upon the reputation Of the
manufacturer for honesty and fair dealing
From the facts which we have stated above we |
draw the following conclusions:
That Peruvian from the extraordinary per-
commercial value to all other guanos; but that its
effect upon rotation of crops, and therefore its
agricultural value is increased by adding 10 it
larger proportion of soluble phosphates.
That on soils which are deficient in phosphates
only, the application of phosphate guano will ex-
ert marked influence upon the future crops; and
that the benefit to be derived from the use of
phosphates is in the ratio of their solubility.
That the phosphate guanos, of mineral or other
origin, which analysis shows to be but sparingly
soluble in water, comparatively worthless to
the farmer when applied in their natural state.
That to make our Inspection Law more perfect
than it is at present. every official analysis of |
guano should not only express the proportions of
ammonia and the phosphates but also the extent |
to which the latter are soluble in water.
That the manipulated guanos should be subject |
to the same inspection as the imported, and that
the official certificate should, at all times and in
all cases, be regarded the true test of the mar
ket value of the article analysed.