THE FLOKAL WORLD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 109 



washing of the water, anti the force it acquires in its rapid descent, 

 enables it to carry away a large quantity of material both in a 

 soluble and insoluble state, a large proportion of which is often de- 

 posited in the valleys and flat lands below ; and this is one reason 

 which makes low lands so much more fertile than the hills. 



There are, however, persons who suppose that in this country 

 they can make as much manure as they require on their own farms'^; 

 but the land must become eventually exhausted by this means. 

 Even the richest land ever known will at last cease to produce 

 without the application of manure, to prove which it is only neces- 

 sary to mention the splendid lands of Virginia. These and other 

 new lands were at first called virgin soils, as though they contained 

 something peculiar to themselves, whereas they only contained a 

 greater quantity of mineral substances and organic matter than 

 lands which had been a long period in cultivation. Every year large 

 quantities of wheat and tobacco were grown and exported from 

 them, and for a long time they were considered incapable of exhaus- 

 tion ; but this actually occurred in 150 years, and at the present 

 time they cannot be made to produce anything without the applica- 

 tion of manures containing those very substances which had been 

 formerly imported in the shape of wheat and tobacco. Similar 

 results have occurred in different parts of America from such 

 courses of treatment. 



Having shown that it is necessary to apply manure to ground 

 from which crops are continually taken, it will be as well to glance 

 at the m.anures themselves. There are a great many kinds of arti- 

 ficial manures used in farming — bones, superphosphates, coprolites, 

 guanos, etc. ; but as we have principally to do with gardening and 

 not with farming, we must confine ourselves to the first and last 

 mentioned. The first account we have of the use of guano is in the 

 year 1829, when half a hundredweight was brought from Liverpool 

 to Scotland, and sold at 6d. per pound. In 1831 three hundred- 

 weight was brought, and the influence it had upon the crops was so 

 encouraging that it obtained great favour among farmers, so that in 

 the years 1841 and 1812 it began to be used in large quantities. 

 EromK^at period its consumption has rapidly increased, and at the 

 preserrTlime is so great that the trade in guanos is an important 

 branch of commerce. But this circumstance has given occasion for 

 unprincipled dealers to come into the market, and by the temptation 

 of low prices ofter to the public a grossly adulterated article, which is, 

 however, very much dearer than the apparently high-priced genuine 

 guano. The value of most artificial manures depends pretty much 

 upon the quantity of ammonia and phosphate of lime they contain, 

 and it must certainly be dear to the farmer to purchase as manure 

 ground tiles, oyster shells, sand, brickdust, loam, or any article of 

 that kind which may be mixed with it ; and yet such things are 

 mixed with it systematically, and purchasers duped and robbed to an 

 enormous extent. 



There are so many manufactured articles introduced in the 

 market under the name of guano that one needs to be continually 

 upon hisiguard. The term guano can only be properly applied to 



