HISTORY OF Tin: AMEKK.'AN MENHADEN. 191 



Comjnirison of yield of nitroyen from Guano Idands. 



200. Tho refuse ]nmlucts oi' the oiM'actoriea, together with the fi.sli 

 used iu a erude state for manure, are estimated to have yiehled in 187."j 

 over 10,000,000 pounds of ammonia in the best possible organic forms. 

 This quantity of ammonia is equivalent to at least 00,000,000 i)()unds 

 of Ohincha Island guano, formerly imported from Peru, tbe gold value 

 of which would be not far from $1,020,000. 



la addition to ammonia, the phosphate of lime derived from this source 

 and convertible into agricultural products amounted to nearly 1,430,000 

 pounds, which is the equivalent of nearly 00,000,000 pounds of Peru- 

 vian guano. 



Associations of oil and guano mauufacturers. 



301. The Association of the Menhaden Oil and Guano Manufacturers 

 of Maine was formed in the year 1870. The objects were such as are 

 usually sought by organizations of the sort — harmony of action on points 

 alTecting the common welfare of the business, social acquaintance, and 

 the communication of information as to improved processes, etc. The 

 annual meeting is held the second Tuesday in January of each year. The 

 United States Menhaden Oil and Guano Association was organized in 

 1873. The annual reports of these societies are given in full in Appen- 

 dix L. 



40. THE USES OF MENBADEN OIL AND THE OIL MARKET. 



The uses of menhaden oil. 



202. The uses of menhaden oil are manifold. It is chiefly employed 

 as a substitute for the more costly and popular oils and to adulterate 

 them. It is sold largely to tanneries for currying leather. After* the 

 hide has been "dressed," i. e., after its coarser fleshy parts have been 

 pared off, the oil, mixed with tallow, is applied. This is technically 

 Ciilled "stufi&ng," and results in qualifying any residue of alkali left from 

 the "liming" process, and in filling the pores, and softening the leather. 

 Mr. L. C. d'Homergue states that this oil is largely used in the tan- 

 neries of Kussia. 



A considerable quantity is used as a burning oil in coal-mines to fill 

 the small lamps, one of which is fastened to the cap of each miner. It 

 is then mixed with paraffine or some of the heavier oils. Some is also 

 sold to be used in the manufacture of rope. A small quantity is used 

 annually for lubricating purposes, but, on account of its gummy nature, 

 it is not much in favor among machinists.* It is used in adulterating 

 linseed oil, and is also sold as a substitute, its cheapness and durability 



*Mr. Isaac Bow, of Springfield, Mass., devoted several years to esperimentiug, with 

 a view to the preparation of a good lubricating oil from menhaden oil, but his success 

 was not satisfactory. 



