525 



per cent, at 40 feet, where the guano is fine and still drier than that of 

 Guanape, and contains as small a proportion of sand. The guano of 

 Huanillos is very dry, pulverulent, and of clear brown color ; the pro- 

 portion of nitrogen varies from 7 to 10 per cent. ; sand, from 2 to 6 

 per cent. Several specimens were rich in phosphate of lime, but 

 poor in nitrogen. Alkaline salts are present in large proportions, 

 varying from 16 to 20 per cent, in some deposits. The proportion 

 of nitric acid ranges from .01 to 2.9 per cent. Nitrate of soda is 

 probably due to the nitrogen of large organic portions of the large 

 deposits exposed for a long time to the action of atmospheric oxy- 

 gen, and also to the action of sea-water. These researches lead to the 

 expectation that large deposits of nitrate of soda will yet be discovered 

 in the south of Peru. Dr. Voelcker thinks the variable character of 

 these deposits renders it necessary to carefully examine each cargo 

 imported. The English Eoyal Society has petitioned the government 

 to press the Peruvian government to institute a standard analysis guar- 

 anteeing a stated medium of nitrogen and phosphoric acid, and of regu- 

 lating prices accordingly. 



English agricultural statistics.— The British Board of Trade 

 has returns showing the following areas under culture in 1871: Wheat, 

 3,632,063 acres ; barley, 287,983 acres ; oats, 2,590,367 acres ; potatoes, 

 520,428 acres ; hops, 65,824 acres ; the last-named crop shows a consid- 

 erably increased acreage, but barley and oats have decreased. The live- 

 stock returns embrace 6,125,505 head of horned cattle of all grades in 

 the British Isles; 30,313,949 sheep, and 2,422,834 swine; the first two 

 show an increase, and the third a decrease, compared with 1873. 



Cinchona in Ceylon. — The experiment with cinchona in Ceylon, as 

 in India, is still continued successfully. The original design of the 

 Ceylon government was to grow plants only for free distribution, on the 

 condition that they be planted and cared for. At tirst it was difficult to 

 get planters to accept of them with this proviso ; but the success of the 

 first trials was such that, for the last two years, it has been difficult for 

 the gardens at Hakgalla to keep up with the demand at the price, first, 

 of 5 and, latterly, of 10 rupees per thousand. The latter price has been 

 paid even for unrooted cuttings. The greater demand has been for the 

 succirubra, (red bark,) which large-leaved species thrives well every 

 where, side by side with coffee. This is the favorite, not because it is 

 the best, but because it is the best grower and suited to a lower eleva- 

 tion, 3,000 feet being the minimum for the production of the alkaloid in 

 sufficient quanity, while officinalis, calasaya, and other crown barks re- 

 quire an elevation not lower than 4,000 feet, furnishing an even quantity 

 of alkaloid at all higher elevations than 6,500 feet, below which the 

 quantity is less, and the resin of the bark becomes as troublesome as in 

 the red bark. Though cinchona trees, like most others, flourish best 

 under conditions of abundant sunlight, yet repeated experiments have 

 conclusively proved that the quality of the baric can be greatly improved 

 by shielding it from the direct influence of the sun's rays. The forma- 

 tion of injurious resinous and coloring matter, most difficult of separa- 

 tion from the valuable qualities, seems to be in proportion to the influ- 

 ence of direct sunlight. Planting the trees very thickly, and then 

 pruning judiciously, goes far toward securing the* benefits without the 

 disadvantages of shade, the most favorable condition for the production 

 of quinine being "that the leaves should be well exposed to the light 

 while the stem-bark is shaded from the direct action of the sun." A Mr. 

 Mclvor has adopted a mossing process, which completely secures all 

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