212 Progress of AgricuJliiral Knowledge 



at the other side of the globe, in Peru — still an experience 

 of 300 years. It appears to be best calculated for root-crops. 

 On a light loam, where it has been used here this year for 

 turnips at 3 cwt. to the acre, costing 45y., it has nearly equalled 

 20 loads of very good dung, and has beaten 20 bushels of 

 bones costing 65s., as well as several other artificial manures 

 beyond any comparison. Where it has been broadcast and har- 

 rowed in with late turnips, it has pushed them on well, while 

 on two patches left without guano there is no plant at all. 

 Last year, when drilled with the seed, it killed half the seed. 

 This year, though mixed with sand, and drilled separately, with 

 earth spread over it, some of the plants have perished; and two 

 farmers have told me that, with the same precaution, though the 

 seed grew, the plant also died when the root reached the guano. 

 It is a curious fact that the same thing once happened to one of 

 our members, Mr. Graburn, when he placed the ordinary allow- 

 ance of rape-cake immediately under the seed. Drilled in with 

 barley on a very poor sand, it has acted very decidedly; but 

 I find it has only given me one quarter of barley, so that, unless it 

 acts next year, it will not have paid back its cost.* It has failed as 

 a top-dressing on corn and on clover. But having stated these 

 cases of failure, I must say that guano seems an excellent ma- 

 nure for root-crops, if rightly applied, f and, as it is now sold at 

 125. the cwt., a very cheap one; but I should be sorry if any of 

 our members tried it largely in consequence on a different soil 

 without success. 



Quicklime, again, is so largely used on the west side of 

 England, that it bears there the name of manure, to the exclusion 

 sometimes, I am afraid, of dung ; while on the other side of 

 the country it is almost unknown. Whether lime could be 

 adopted elsewhere, is a very interesting question, and what is its 

 mode of operation. Sir H. Davy's theory, that it dissolves vege- 

 table matter, is given up ; in fact, it hardens vegetable fibre. 

 Some persons think that it should be applied hot to the soil, 

 founding their view upon chemical principles, but at present 

 it seems better to follow practice ; and where it has been mixed 

 heretofore with five times its bulk of earth, and left so in heaps for 

 some weeks before it is applied to the surface, it would be well 

 to do so still. Indeed I am told farmers near Totncs, in Devon- 

 shire, have given a fair trial to fresh lime, and have found it act 



* Mr. Pryme has found guano fail when drilled in with barley. 



t 1 think that guano should either be sown broadcast (mixed with 

 mould) and harrowed in rapidly before sowing the seed, if the crop is 

 llat-drilled ; or, when it is ridiic-drilled, 1 have sown the guano broadcast 

 upon the first ridges. When these are split, the guano is brought home lo 

 the roots of the plant as it stands on the second drill. 



