The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1906-02-07
wHALEMEAT FOR GUANo.

Among the many consignments Of
mixers received in Charleston this sea-
son by the fertilizer men, there has
been only one cargo of whalemeat, the
most priced of ammoniates, sent to this
port, that consisting of 10000 sacks,
brought in by the British steamship
Regulus from Nova Scotia and now
partly in storage for distribution at
the Columbus street wharf.
1t is known generally that fish
scraps and hog blood are high grade
ammoniates and are received in large
quantities in Charleston, but the use
Of whalemeat for the sake of its am
monia for preparing fertilizer is COM
parat:ve.y little knoNl II this city by
the layman, and in TACT it has bee-s
only three or four years that its value
as a. mixer was known to anybody.
"Whaleraeat is higher priced than
either fish scraps Or hog blood" said
la well-known fertilizer dealer this
morning to an Evening Post reporter,
|"and the demand far exceeds the sup
ply. It is prepared exclusively in No
va Scotia and adjacent territory, where
the residue Of the whalers' vats is
brought dried and ground.
"a problem in buying whalemeat
for fertilizer mixing that always con-
fronts the dealer is the uncertainty
of the catch made by the whalers
each season. A contract may be given
for 10000 tons, and the whole catch
may not yield this much, although the
average reaches $4,000 to 10000 tons.
The total yield Of the whalemeat
guano is divided among the buyers,
in case the demand can not be met,
which is mostly the case, according to
the proportion Of the orders sent in.
'It requires about 1,500 whales to
produce the average output Of the
mills at Nova Scotia, each whale yield
ing about one-fifth in waste after the
bones and flesh have been treated on
board the whalers. Formerly the waste
was thrown away, but within the last
few years it was. discovered, as in the
case of cotton seed that the residue
left from extracting the oil was val
liable commercial product
Such has proved to be the case.
Whalemeat mixer, after it is dried
and ground, is out of the best ammo
mates known. Itcosts $50 a ton, the
top price, but combining the virtues
Of fish scraps and hog blood, is most
sought out by the fertilizer manufac-
turer for its ammonia producing quail
tiles. The greatest part Of the whale
guano prepared is bought by Charles
ton, New York and Boston
In appearance this whalemeat, at
once fish and beast, when ready for
the use OF the fertilizer manufacturer,
is rich, dark, brown powder, in which
Iumpy bits are scattered. It's odor is
not pleasant to the nose but it is not
aggressive. The guano is shipped in
strong sacks, extra heavy, and aver
aged from 200 to 250 pounds to the
sack. 1t is to prevent loss in shipping
that the heavy bagging is used, as the
whalemeat mixer is costly stuff.
Whalemeat mixer has taken firm
hold on the dealers, and each year the
demand for it is growing. 1t has a
very high per centage Of ammonia,
which is one of the important ingre-
dents Of phosphate and so brings
good price more on account Of its ex-
lence than for it's rarity. 1t has added
value to the flesh Of the whale, by
giving rise to new industry in utiliz-
ing the last scrap Of his whaleship.
Orders are placed way anead lot
the product and as it is much prefer
red to fish scrap, or dried and ground
hog blood, as mixer, there is keen
competition in buying it.. Charleston
usually manages, through the scarcity
of her purchasers to get fair sup
ply of the valued guano yielded by the
whale, and when the Regulus steamed
in loaded with 10000 sacks Of whale
meat mixer. there was general joy
among the local manufacturers
Charleston Post.
The unsightIy signs suspended