THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



313 



this valuable fertilizer has compensated them in some 

 degree for the loss of protection ; but the outlay on it 

 is enormous. The overcropped lands of Great Britain, 

 the rice fields of Italy, the vine lands of Germany, 

 the sugar-cane fields of the West Indies and Mauri- 

 tius, the exhausted coffee plantations of Brazil, and the 

 arid plains of Peru— all testify to its fertilizing pro- 

 perties. 



Since the first introduction of guano, about seven- 

 teen years ago, wo have imported upwards of 2,500,000 

 tons of all kinds at a cost of more than ig'30,000,000 ster- 

 ling ; and other countries are now drawing largely upon 

 the deposits. The exportation of guano began in 1841, 

 under contract with the house of Messrs. Quiros, Allier, 

 and Co. Up to the end of 1856 the shipments of 

 I'eruvian guano from the Chinchas had been nearly 

 2,000,000 tons. The net proceeds on this, after de- 

 fraying charges, was £7,850,927. The profit on the 

 sales of 1857 were ^£2,507,603. The total shipments 

 up to June, 1858, amounted to close upon 2,500,000 

 tons, besides a stock in the hands of the consignees of 

 466,000 tons. The losses at sea during the whole time 

 have only been about 50,000 tons. But the Government 

 complain of a great waste in the process of loading, 

 the estimate of loss being fully 16 per cent, of the whole 

 guano shipped, owing to the carelessness in loading 

 and the quantity shot overboard. To avoid this serious 

 loss, the Government has now erected a wharf, where 

 vessels of any tonnage can go alongside to load: and 

 by a railway tlie guano is brought on boai'd the ships 

 from the deposits. Besides this, in order that the cap- 

 tains of vessels should not go to sea with their cargoes of 

 guano in an unseaworthy state, all vessels, after re- 

 ceiving their cargoes, are sent to Callao, to undergo a 

 proper survey. Thus the sea risks are likely to be 

 greatly lessened. 



The large yearly imports of guano called into exist- 

 ence a considerable portion of the large-sized ships. 

 In 1858, however, this source of employment for the 

 shipowner failed, like many others. The year began 

 with freights at 60s, ; a price unusually low, tho'igh 

 rendered necessary by the enormous stock then on 

 hand. Shipowners were found, however, to accept 

 that price in such numbers, that it became necessary 

 totally to suspend chartering. In the close of the year 

 business was, howeverj resumed, with freights as low 

 as 50s. 



The stock of Peruvian guano in London and Liverpool 

 had accumulated so far beyond the current demand, that 

 it is understood the supply, for some time at least, will 

 be on a correspondingly reduced scale. At present rates, 

 then, an increased consumption may reasonably be 

 looked for this season ; and the farmers may probably 

 be induced to use, along with the Peruvian, thote 

 qualities containing a large per-centage of phosphates. 



The Kooria-Mooria deposit, about which there was 

 so much speculation, has proved a failure. Guano 

 arrived in limited quantities from those islands ; but 

 the quality, which varies very much, is considered in- 

 ferior to the expectations held out ; and from the un- 

 fortunate result of the cargoes from that quarter, which 



arrived after the season was over, and which in many 

 cases were forced upon the market, and did not realize 

 one-hall the stipulated freight, there is no great 

 temptation to the shipowners to embark in so hazardous 

 an enterprise. Several other cargoes from new deposits 

 on the west coast of America arrived in the United 

 Kingdom, and one in tlic Clyde. This gnano in appear- 

 ance and analysis resembles Ichaboe ; but the deposit is 

 very limited. It fetches, however, £2 per ton more 

 than the African, and is about £l in price below the 

 Bolivian. 



In the close of 1856, Messrs. Anthony Gibbs and Son 

 were requested by the Peruvian Government to take 

 charge also of the guano sales in Spain, hitherto con- 

 fided to Messrs. C. De Murrick and Co., and they have 

 a commission of 4^ per cent, on the sales— a voluntary 

 reduction of 1 per cent, on the former commission. 

 The change of agents in the United States has also 

 caused a considerable saving in the commission and 

 charges. A report from the inspectors sent from Peru 

 to Europe and the United States is to be laid before 

 the Congress. 



However much we may appreciate the value of 

 guano as a fertilizer, and the importance of obtaining a 

 due supply for our farmers, we should like to see more 

 freedom in the trade, and a greater degree of liberality 

 ma'kiifested by the Peruvian Government. When they 

 have already derived a net profit of nearly £11,000,000 

 upon this one article of export— an article attended 

 with neither risk nor outlay to themselves— they 

 might endeavour to facilitate its more extended use by 

 still further lowering the charges, and throwing open 

 the trade, instead of continuing it as a monopoly, with 

 the sales confined to one house. 



The supply in the Chinchas is yet ample to meet all 

 the wants of agriculture for many years to come ; and 

 ere these deposits can be exhausted, others formed by 

 the myriads of sea-birds frequenting these regions will 

 be available. Every reduction in the price, every fa- 

 cility aff"orded in extending the trade in this valuable 

 fertilizer, must necessarily benefit the Government 

 interested, equally with the consumer ; and it is but a 

 narrow-minded policy which screws up the price to 

 the utmost stretch at which it can be maintained. 



Besides the Peruvian guano, our imports from other 

 sources do not amount to 15,000 or 20,000 tons a year, 

 the Patagouian, Chilian, and African coming in in 

 very small quantities. As Lord Palmerston recently 

 observed, at the Rorasey Agricultural Society, " The 

 time is not very far distant when the foreign supply 

 will cease, and when domestic guano will be the source 

 to which the farmer must apply." Although the sup- 

 ply of Peruvian guano is not likely, we think, to cease 

 for some years to come, yet there can be no doubt that 

 the interests of agriculture demand a substitute ; and 

 the discovery of such a manure now, when the prin- 

 cii.les of chemistry have tamiliarized us with the con- 

 stituents, is not difficult : the only question is the ade- 

 quate manufacture, and a supply commensurate with 

 the wants of agriculture, at home and abroad, at a fair 



and reasonable price. 



Y 2 



