OF AGRICULTURE. 287 



esteemed the most valuable, and for good reasons, 

 as there, no or very few rains fall upon the islands 

 from which it is collected, and, therefore, very few of 

 its valuable ingredients are lost, It has been used by 

 the Peruvians, from time immemorial, as a manure, 

 and history tells us the Incas used it before the 

 conquest of Peru by the Spaniards. Humbolt 

 introduced it into Europe, on his return from 

 South America, in 1806J but it was" not until 1840 

 it began to be used as a general fertilizer Jby the 

 English farmers, At this time, over 300,000 tons 

 are imported into Great Britain, and 500,000 into the 

 United States, annually* 



ANALYSIS OF PERUYIAN GUANO (100 POUNDS), 



Water i 13vOO = 13 per cent. Water. 



Organic matter 36.00 = 36 " ' Organic matter. 



Ammonia 17.00 = 17 " " Ammonia* 



Phosphates 23.50 = 23^ " " Phosphate of lime, etc, 



Alkaline salts... ...,. ,9,50= 9*1" " Alkaline salts, 



Sand 2.00 = 2 " " Sand. 



100 pounds, 



Guano, it is hardly necessary to state, from the 

 above analysis, may be applied, with advantage, to 

 almost any kind of soil, and to all the crops we 

 cultivate. It contains all the elements necessary for 

 their growth, with the single exception of mold. 

 One great point to be attended to, is that the land 

 should be in good tilth ; otherwise, the tender roots 

 of the plants will meet with obstructions, and become 

 crippled in their growth, Poor, well tilled soils, 

 receive the most advantage from this fertilizer, as 

 they are generally deficient in the very ingredients 

 supplied by the guano. 



Taking the best Peruvian guano as a standard, 

 one hundred and fifty to two hundred pounds to the 

 acre, will be sufficient to mature a good crop, mixed 



