492 MONTHLY JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURE. 



whose ofiice it should he to inculcate the performance of actions the most useful 

 to society, it is denounced as ahject flattery to praise the most benevolent and 

 beneficent deeds in peaceful life, yet quite legitimate to extol to the seventh 

 heaven the deeds of living actors in scenes of " blood and carnage ? " All this 

 may be right and proper ; but be it our humble duty to honor, in our way, and 

 to hold up to emulation the example of those who best teach us to fructify the 

 earth. 



Since penning the above, we find the following in an array of striking ''facts " 

 illustrative of the effect of guano, in that staunch old agricultural periodical, 

 the American Farmer, fed editorially, as it would appear, with that elixir vita 

 which with age imparts strength. This fact is so extraordinary that it were 

 almost to he wished the name of the farmer, his locality and soil, had been given, 

 although, for ourselves, the confidence of the Editor of that paper in the accuracy 

 of the statement makes " assurance doubly sure." And, after all, it does not ex- 

 cel the influence of plaster of Paris (gypsum) as shown in the case of the late 

 Governor Bowie, who gave $1,400 for 200 acres of land, and on turning in the 

 first crop of clover that followed the application of the gypsum, made 100 hogs- 

 heads of tobacco on 100 acres of it. The tobacco was sold for $10 a hundred, 

 or $10,000 for the crop. Governor B. was " every inch a man " on whose 

 word one might safely stake his life. 



An acquaintance of our informant bought, 

 in liis neighborhood, a fann consisting; of up- 

 ward of 200 acres, for $1,200. This farm 

 had been worked without manuring mitil 

 everything partaking of tlie character of fer- 

 tility had been extracted f\-oni it, as may well 

 be imagined from the i)rice we have men- 

 tioned above. In the opinion of the owner 

 of the farm in question, without manure, it 

 would not have yielded 6 bushels of wheat 

 per acre ; and this opinion was corroborated 

 by that of our informant. In the fall of 1 845, 



the present proprietor came into possession 

 of his fann, and having faith m the virtues 

 of guano, purchased a sufficient quantity to 

 enable him to spread on each of 100 acres 

 thereof, 3.50 lbs. of that manure, which he 

 caused to be ploircd in, and then sowing his 

 wheat, harrowed the latter in. The product 

 was 2.5 l)ushels of good wheat per ac-e, fi-om 

 the sale of which he was not only enabled to 

 pay the whole of the purchase money for the 

 entire fai'm, and the cost of the gtiano, but to 

 have a surplus left. 



CONSUMPTION OF GRAIN IN GREAT BRITAIN. 



Sir : Messrs. Sturge's Circular for this month has to-day been received here, and it will doubt- 

 less find a place in your columns, as being at all times a valuable and important document, and 

 never more so than at the present moment. The bearing of the writer's viovs-s is evidently of a 

 pacifying nature, but on studying its contents I cannot do otherwi.se tlian form quite an opposite 

 opinion. Admitting udoiil'tjul point, that the last year's crop of wlieatwas an average one, ho\v 

 can that and tiie stocks as there stat(;d — equal to 6,000,000 qrs. — suffice for twelve months' con- 

 sumption, barley, oats and potatoes being deficient, and seeing that the aiunial im[)ortation of all 

 descriptions of grain for years past averages ncarl_y ti. 000, 000 of quarters, which quantity is only 

 adequate to supply the loss of the jjolato crop, and thus requiring the whole quantity of wheat 

 tiiipposed to be on hand at the time of harvest? 

 Taking the average import of grain (including Ireland) into Great Uritnin, upon" years., .qrs. 0.000,000 



The loss of the potato ci op " ti.OOO.tXX) 



The doticiency of tlie oat and bean crops (l-5th) " 4,000.000 



Ditto barley crop (l-4th) " !..'')( Kl.OOO 



Total " 1T,.5' 0,000 



Less Buppobed quantity on hand " r>,000,000 



.Shall wc not require of foreign grain " 11,500,000 



For at the time of harvest tho. stocks of oats, barley and beans, of home growth, were nearly ex- 

 hausted ; and this <piantity, ubonl double of our late large annual imports, would require an 

 amount of shipping of about 1,7'.^.'^^. 000 tons. 



Should the next harvest be a late one, it must be borne in mind that our monthly consumption 

 is 1 ' ndllions of wheat. For barley, &c., we mitrht wait ; but of oats we should require a con- 

 siderable <]uantity, not less than one third of tlie quantity of wheat named. 



I respectfully beg the attention of Messrs. Sturge & ('o. to the foregoing, and should feci obliged 

 if they can point out any inaccuracy in the statements given, my object not being controversy, 

 bat, as far as it can be a.sccrtainod, to give a correct statement of the real position of the country 

 on the momentous question of a supply of food. I um. sir, your ob't serv't. A Si^nscRiHKR. 



Hull Feb. 5. [Lonaon Mark Lane Exprees. 



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