The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-04-28
farm and Garden.
Commercial Fertilizers.-continued.


Nitrate of potassa is another source of
nitrogen, but not so much resorted to as
nitrate of soda, and sulphate of ammonia.
Every farmer knows that all crops re-
quire nitrogen, for the virtues OF stable
manure and Peruvian guano, whose chief
action is derived from their nitrogen, are
we'll known to every tiller of the soil. Ii
the nitrogen is not supplied by clover,
and pea fallows, and other vegetable mat
ter in the soil, then it must be supplied
artifcially, either by putrescent manures
or guanos, the chemical salts containing
it, (above mentioned, } or through the at
mosphere, the latter however, being a
small and uncertain source of supply.
Pe,uUiape gatano supplies large guam
tity of ammonia, as well as of phosphoric
acid The idea has prevailed that Peru
Wan guano was exhausted, or nearly so,
which is mistake Some have confined
the term Peruvian" to the guano that
comes from the Cincha Islands There
is no reason for this, and it only pro-
duces confusion The best article is pro-
baby generally obtained from those
islands, but the guano obtained from
Cincha Guanape, Lobos, etc., is all Peru
Wan, these names designating the partic-
ular locality in Peru from whence it is
gotten. The ammonia in these guanos
varies from 8 to Is per cent that from
the Cincha Islands varies from 10 to 10
per cent; the phosphoric acid from IL
to Is, and the potash from to per
cent in these different guanos.
The brands of guano placed on the
market are: No. l Peruvian guano-
standard. No. l Peruvian guano-Lobos
No Peruvian guano-guaranteed. No.
l Peruvian guano-recti6ed. No. 9 Pc
ruvian guano All of these are natural
guanos, as they come from the islands,
except the rect5fed. That's treated with
sulphuric acid with the view of making
the phosphoric acid more soluble and i'm
medlately available, and of fixing the
ammonia and preventing its evaporation
Hobson, Hurtado & Co., who make this
preparation, quote DR.. VoeclSler, chemist
to the Royal Agricultural Society of Eng
land, as saying, I" 1t is the most powerful,
intrinsically valuable, and best prepared
compound fertilizer, which has ever been
brought to my notice" +" Rectifed
.gat01ao' is claimed to be free from all i'm
purities, and to be in dry, powdery
state, ready for application to the land.
This name does not represent any par
ticular grade. 1t may contain only 4
per cent, or run above 10 per cent The
analysis is on the bag, and it is sold &C
cording to the valuation of its constitu
ents, by the following prices:
For Ammonia, 20 cts ner III
" Soluble Phosphoric Acid, 10 y"
Insoluble " none.
Potasa, y cts. per h.
Each bag contains 200 lbs. The am
monia is valued about cents more per
Id. from the fact to it is not volatile.
No. Peruvian gata1ao is guaranteed to |
be pure and genuine Peruvian guano,
containing on an average Ito each bag in
the tom 10 per cent of ammonia. 1t may
come from Clncha, Guanape or the other
islands. 5Thlssis known as sIStGndord
9atano. Price $50 per ton of 2,24O lbs.
No. |. Peruvian gata1ao, LoboS, is from
Lobos Island. 1t is guaranteed to con-
tam 3 per cent ammonia, and is rich in |
phosphoric acid and potassa, ranging from !
10 to 20 per cent ammonia and. 3 to 5
per cent potash. Price $51 for ton of q
$40 lbs. This is said by some farmers
who have tried it, ohave Yielded as good
results as the. e standard" 10 per- cent
"NAASAA 10 W. PtOOdOlS OH lduQS
or crops not requiring large amount of
ammonia. For some crops which require
much phosphoric acid as corn, and in a |
measure wheat, 1T may be more desirable.
Fifty bushels of corn Ito the acre. takes
from the ground 40 lbs ammonia and
80 lbs. phosphoric acid. twenty-five
bushels of wheat takes away 81 Sc lbs.
ammonia and 26 lbs. phosphoric acid.
On closer fallows for wheat, we should |
consider the "Lobos Island, as valuable
as the Z" standard guano.
The No. Peruvian g,tanO, guaranteed,
only means that it has been overhauled
after being discharged from the vessel,
the Jumps crushed, and stones and other
impurities removed by screening; and
that it is pure Peruvian guano. 1t is
charged for by the analysis on the bags,
by the following rates: Ammonia III
cts per b.; soluble phosphoric acid 1OI
cts per ID; reverted 8 cts. per h., and
potash u cts. per h.
P. S. In my last, meant to say 200
lbs. Phosphoric acid, and 300 lbs. kyanite,
or "Ravend's Ash Compound"
T. P.