578 Journal of the Department or Agriculture. — Dec, 1922. 



The reserve stock of g-uano (being the balance left over of the 1921 

 crop) on hand ou the 31st December, 1921, was approximately 5280f 

 tons, of which quantity about 1911^ tons were still remaining- on 

 certain of the islands on that date. The whole of this quantity, with 

 the exception of roughly 27 tons on Bird Island and about 35 tons 

 on Possession Island, was brought u]» to Capetown and dis]iosed of in 

 the first allotment in 1922. 



2. Allotment and Sale of (ruano. — The total quantity of guano 

 disposed of throughout the Union between 1st July, 1921, and 30 th 

 June, 1922, was 9141f tons, of which 9118f tons were sold by allot- 

 ment and 23 tons through the medium of the Knysna depot. Two 

 allotments were made during this period, viz., one in July, 1921 

 (being the second for that year), in connection with which 1778| tons 

 were distributed, and the other in February, 1922, when a further 

 7340 tons were allocated amongst the successful applicants. 



3. Demand for Guano. — jS^otwithstanding the reduction in tlie 

 selling price of guano from £10 to £8 per ton in November, 1921, 

 there was a decided falling off both in the number of applications 

 received and the quantities applied for in connection with the allot- 

 ments this year. This may be only a temporary phase, attributable 

 no doubt to the prevailing financial depression, but there is reason to 

 believe that the general reduction in the prices of other fertilizers has 

 also, to some extent, affected the demand for the Government article, 

 which, nevertheless, still remains considerably in excess of the supplies 

 available from time to time. 



4. Distrihution of Guano, 1921. — The total quantity of guano 

 applied for during 1921 (including applications from other Govern- 

 ment departments) was 28,145A tons, and the quantity actually dis- 

 posed of in the same period was 9423A tons, 92'6 per cent, of which 

 was absorbed by the western and south-western districts of the Cape 

 Province ; of that quantity 7069i tons were distributed between the 

 Malmesbury, Paarl, Cape, Stellenbosch, and Caledon divisions alone. 



The following statement shows the quantities sold and (listril)uted 

 during 1921, as compared with 1920: — 



Si'M.\[AKY OF Distribution. 



Cape Province — 



Western and south-western districts 



Other districts ... 

 Transvaal (all districts) ... 



Natal (all districts) 



Orange Free State (all districts) ... 



Grand total 



5. Analytical Composition of Guano. — The average composition' 

 of the several stocks of guano disposed of during the year 1921 was as 

 follows : — Phosphoric oxide soluble in water, 3'3 per cent. : phosphoric 

 oxide soluble in 2 per cent citric acid solution, 9'6 per cent. ; total 

 phosphoric oxide, lO'O per cent. ; nitrog-en, 10'6 per cent. ; potash, 

 2'1 per cent. : lime, 99 per cent. 



