182 THE WHEAT CULTURIST. 



the effect of guano is not only more decided and bene 

 flcial when it is ploughed in superficially, but that its 

 effects are equally, if not more, permanent. Ammonia 

 is one of the most valuable constituents of stable manure ; 

 yet the almost invariable practice — a practice sanctioned 

 equally by experience and observation — is to plough in 

 this kind of manure superficially. I have heard of no 

 one in Virginia whose success in the use of guano has 

 been more encouraging than that of Mr. Willoughby 

 JS r ewton, of Westmoreland, who has been convinced by 

 experience that guano exerts a more powerful influence 

 when ploughed in superficially than when ploughed in 

 deep, as recommended by others. This manure aug- 

 ments the crop of wheat, and insures a good stand of 

 clover ; but in our country its effect is not supposed to 

 continue more than twelve or eighteen months beyond 

 the period of application." 



Further Testimony about Guano. 



E. G. Booth, ISTottaway County, Virginia, writes thus : 

 " Guano and other fertilizers are so generally used now, 

 and so much more attention bestowed on improvement 

 of land, that the product has been greatly increased 

 within the last few years. I have not used guano ex- 

 tensively, but sufficiently so to express the confident 

 conviction that it would quadruple the product on poor 

 land. The proportion of increase is not so great on rich 

 land. The plan generally adopted in this section is to 

 turn it under with a two-horse plough. Intelligent 

 practical farmers are now preparing to harrow it in with 

 the wheat. I consider it such a powerful stimulant that 

 it will act well when applied in most any way, except 

 top-dressiug. It is too volatile for that." 



