The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1908-09-15
PERUVIAN GUANO.
Careless Methods Are Responsible
For Rapid Exhaustion.

! ~ WIG Peoplc ol Icfu the EuanO III
dustry is of the highest Importance.
Not only has guano great money
value Tor purposes Of export, but it is
absolutely essention to the agriculture
OF the country. The destruction Of
the industry would be Il public calam-
Ii ity.
BY not Il few people it is supposed
that the accumulations Of guano in
Peru arc something like coal deposits
in that they represent the very gra-
dual accnmulationS of vast amount
OF time and that their deposition is
now at an end.
This is not the ease, since erlano
is being deposited today just as for
mcrly, but in much less quantity than
Formerly. since the birds which pro-
durc ii are far less numerous than
they used to be. On the other hand
the guam" produced today is valuable
-p"rhapS even more valuable than
that deposited years ago.
The deposits Of old guanu are being
rapidly exhausted, and when these are
exhausted. there will remain only the
annual product. which under present
conditions Is certain To grow less and
less. This is true because thc birds
mat pr"durr II are wholly Disregard
rd. Tor the contractors who collect the
%''ann Il" Sn vii lout the slightest ref.
rrcncr I" the birds on which the suu-
ply depends, driving them from their
nesting places and destroying the eggs
and young. The whole subject has
been carefully studied by Scnor lar.
I" burcy Correa. who recently submits
ted full report to the Peruvian
government
Thc two principal birds: which de-
P"slt this valuable product arc cor
n"rant and il pelican. and these birds
spend the greater part of their fine
during the whole year on ihr ursiino
ground. unless frightened away by
man. I" secure the best results from
lh"lr presence they should be ruco,lr
aged t" remain on these grounds, and
lnSlr"h Of brin" treated ~ wild nui-
mails whose useful product men size
amt carry away. they should be treat
rd is domestic animals. engaged in
useful labor and producing crop
T." the harvesting Of which the highest
intelligence should be devoted
The birds should not be driven away
from their nesting grounds The pres
ent tendency to Il decrease in num-
berS could be checked. Protection
viii result in il great increase, and
such increase will mean the addition
to Peru 5 dollars worth of guano each
year Everything should be done to
increase the number Of birds, for the
greater the number Of the birds thc
greater the amount Of the guano pro-
dnccd. Action should be taken mt
once, for the pelican, the more useful
or these two birds, is gradually dis
appearing.
1t IS necessary to watch the con-
tractors who remove the guano from
the islands and see that they do it
with due regard to the safety of the
birds and the future supply OF the
product. 1t would be well also to
close each Of the various guano is
lands in rotation for a term of wears.
thus leaving the birds on the different
islands unmolestcd for periods Of
wears as long as possible A great
step in advance has been made in re-
cent years by establishing IA closed
season Tor the islands. during which
they are not 10 be worked; but this
measure is, ftcr all, only palliative.
It does not strike at The root Of thc
evil.
IN" agriculture Of Peru is dcpcnd-
cnt on the supply Of guano. The de-
mandI Of the export trade are in<a-
'!abl". TN" time l., coming when both
these demands cannot be satisfied. II
Is high time that a strong effort shall
be made I" increase the supply, and
inns can only be done by protecting
/ tlc breeding grounds Of the BIRDS.
Forest and Stream.