24 QUARTERLY JOURNAL. 



they were aware produced the manure. Laws were prescribed bj 

 the Incas, and heavy penalties were attached to the offence of kill- 

 ing the birds. They made use, however, of the recent dung only 

 which was gathered annually, at a certain season of the year ; tbii 

 is undoubtedly better and stronger than the older deposits, whicl 

 have thus been left to be opened by modern enterprise. Nor is i 

 surprising ihat the Indians should esteem the guano so highly. 



The soil generally, as before stated, is very thin and poor, pre 

 senting almost nothing in whole districts, but barren wastes. Ye 

 notwithstanding all these disadvantages, the natives contrived t 

 raise good crops, and with care were always sure of an abundan 

 return for their labors ; but always with the aid of guano. By th 

 application of this manure, fields of sand, where, only a few stunte 

 weeds could find root, became as fertile as the richest of soil: 

 It is said that the natives con.e from the interior, one or two hui 

 dred miles with one lama to obtain the small amount that anim; 

 can bear, and consider their long journey well rewarded. 



The first specimens of guano were brought from the weste) 

 coast of South America, and all the guano used was from th 

 locality until 1843, when by the enterprise of Mr. Rae of Live 

 pool similar deposits were discovered upon the southweste 

 coast of Africa, and vessels were immediately despatched to tl 

 new treasure. The island of the most importance as regar! 

 quality was Ichaboe. 



The extent of the manure upon this island was, in 1843, es 

 mated at one thousand feet long, five hundred feet broad a: 

 thirty-five feet deep, containing from seven to eight thousand loi 

 which recent accounts state to be now entirely exhausted. Sevei' 

 other islands have been opened, some off Angru Peguina, butt' 

 guano seems to be of an inferior quality to the Peruvian. Tl 

 is attributed to the fact that rains are more frequent upon the Af 

 can coast than upon *he American. It is quite probable ma 

 deposits remain ab yet undiscovered. 



This manure has been analyzed by some of the most emin( 

 chemists of Great Britain. The average of those by Dr. Ure, 

 genuine Peruvian guano, gives 



1. Azolized animal matter, including urate of ammonia, together capa- 

 ble of affording from eight to ten per cent of ammonia, by slow 

 decomposition, in the soil, ^ > 



