636 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



GUANO AND THE EXCREMENTS OF DOMESTIC POULTRY. 



Guano is obtained from various parts of the globe, and its 

 quality is usually distinguished by the name of the country 

 from which it is procured. It is generally supposed to be 

 the accumulated excrements of large quantities of sea birds, 

 and is mostly collected on islands off the coast of Peru and 

 south-western Africa. As a manure, it contains remarkable 

 strength and efficiency. That obtained from the Peruvian 

 isliinds is of the best qualit}-, and is more highly fertilizing 

 than any of the others. Its great advantage as a manure is 

 caused by the large percentage of uncombined ammonia 

 which it possesses. We have seen and used most of the 

 principal kinds of guano in common use, such as Ichaboe, 

 Columbian, Mexican, &c., and have no hesitation in saying 

 that the Peruvian is much superior to them all, especially 

 the Ichaboe, which contains over 50 per cent, of sand. 

 The other two are about on a par with tliis as far as our ex- 

 periments have gone, and we have been careful to note the 

 results given by this class of manures for the last five years. 

 We should, therefore, advise the use of the Peruvian in all 

 cases were guano is used, notwithstanding the present ex- 

 orbitant prices. We cannot, however, after an extensive 

 use and observation of the effects of these manures, recom- 

 mend any of them as yjrofitable when depended upon for a 

 scries of years, especially on liglit soils. Their effects are 

 remarkable on the poorest soils when first applied, but they 

 appear to stimulate the land to its greatest capacity for a 

 few years; they then fail of so doing, and it is impoverished 

 to the last degree. Guano can be used on land, according 

 to its original fertility, from five to eight years with good 

 success, if no other manures are applied, but it will eventu- 

 ally reduce the land ; and in many cases which we have 

 remarked, it has never been used successfullj' after ten years 

 in succession, without the intermediate use of more bulky 

 manures. 



The advantages of guano on poor soils would be much 

 accelerated by ploughing in green crops, which would add 

 vegetable material to the land. There seems no reason why 

 these two systems, used in conjimction, would not produce 

 the most satisfactory results. Every one is aware that a 

 horse cannot thrive for any great length of time, without 

 food of a bulky nature. Although he may be fed high on 

 grain, he must have bulk to fill up and distend his stomach ; 

 and we also know, if he is well fed on grain, this bulk can 

 consist of the poorest kind of fodder or straw. 



The land must possess bulk, which consists of decayed 

 vegetation, to give it its mechanical texture, or more properly 

 its organic materials for the ready assimilation of the plant. 

 It is readily perceived that guano, from its highly concen- 

 trated form, can contain but very little of this bulk ; and 

 that which it does possess consists of mineral and not 

 vegetable matter. As all lands require the vegetable matter 

 in more or less degree, it is obvious that the effect of such 

 mineral manures will eventually reduce the soil. 



By what has been previously said, it may be supposed 

 that our intention is to prevent the use of guano : but this 

 is not so— our object being merely to show how it can be 

 used with advantage to the crop without injuring the land ; 

 and we think by so doing to spare many the dear-bought 

 wisdom which is gleaned only from experience. 



The great advantages of this manure can only be known 



to those who have used with judgment in connection with 

 the legitimate manures of the farm. We have found the 

 greatest benefit from its use in growing potatoes, especially 

 when put in the drill, where the land has been previouslj' 

 dunged broadcast before ploughing; and in backward 

 seasons, where the crops are behind-hand, its application 

 often proves of the greatest advantage. It can be used on 

 most all crops, and is particularly beneficial when applied 

 broadcast in the spring to cereals, for which application it 

 is better to mix it with double its weight of damp powdered 

 charcoal, by which means it can be spread more evenly over 

 the ground, and will be much less disagreeable to sow. The 

 addition of a little gypsum would also be beneficial to ab- 

 sorb that portion of the ammonia which would otherwise be 

 lost. It seems hardly necessary to add any caution in re- 

 gard to putting the guano into close contact with the seed 

 or plant ; but as we still often hear of the failure of valuable 

 crops from the ignorance of this fact, we will here state that 

 its excessive caustic and concentrated power will most 

 always, when put into close contact with the tender germ» 

 kill it. Consequentlj' great care should be taken to mix it 

 well with soil around hoed crops, with the exception of 

 potatoes, which do not appear to be injured by immediate 

 contact with it in the drill. 



The excrements of domestic poultry are the most highly 

 concentrated of any on the farm, and are computed to be 

 worth about half as much as Peruvian guano. As the 

 urine is voided in a solid form with the other matters 

 ejected from the bowels, it contains about the same in- 

 gredients as urate, or the dried urine of animals. Its value 

 as a manure depends principally on the quality of the food 

 from which tlie fowls subsist. If they were fed on meat, 

 fish, and blood entirely, it is probable their dung would be 

 equal to guano as a fertilizer ; but where they are fed on 

 vegetable food, the manure is much less valuable ; yet it is 

 still more powerful than any of the other fiirm-manures, ex- 

 cepting pigeon dung, which can hardly be called a farm 

 manure. 



The composition of the urine, or white part, is the same 

 for all birds, and consists chiefly of 



Uric acid 88.70 ") 



Ammonia 8.55 I Coindet. 



Bone earth 2.75 J 



100.00 



Fermentation and decay change the uric into bicarbonate 

 of ammonia, so that the manure is nearly similar to com- 

 mercial carbonate of ammonia with a little bone earth. 

 No manure is allowed to decompose and waste to so much 

 disadvantage as fowls' dung, and we are surprised to find 

 that farmers will be so heedless of the care of this manure, 

 and at the same time be willing to pay such exorbitant 

 prices for guano, which is less than twice as valuable. 

 Farmers should bear in mind that every ton of these ex- 

 crements are worth thirty dollars, or at the rate of a cent 

 and a-half per pound. 



The simplest way of preventing waste, is to sprinkle the 

 droppings two or three times a week with moist charcoal 

 or gypsum. 



Pigeon dung, whenever it can be obtained in any con- 



