m. 124.] 167 



sider desirable for each hill of corn of five seeds, is less than one ounce, 

 to be given in two a[)plications — one-quarter at sowing, this must be 

 well mixed up with the soil, and three-quarters stirred well into the hill 

 when the plant is about a foot high, always endeavoring to effect this 

 latter operation just previous to rain. Tliis would give about 70 lbs. to 

 the acre, supposing it to contain 1,100 hills at six feet apart. The price 

 in England is £10 to £12 or 50 to 60 dollars per ton of 2,240 lbs. : 

 hence the quantity to the acre would cost somewhat less than two dol- 

 lars, and no other manure is necessary. In England it has been ap- 

 -plied at the rate of 250 to 500 lbs to the acre, or more llian six times 

 -the quantity by the above calculation; but there it is scattered broad- 

 cast as the seed is sown, and of course the quantity used nmst be much 

 greater as all the ground is covered. In the method I propose it is ap- 

 ,plied as it were simply to each plant. In England nothing is cultiva- 

 ted in hills : it is either broadcast or in drills. 



There is, unquestionably, much still to learn on (his subject, I am 

 sure I do not pretend to have more than raised the skin of the scientific 

 .part of ii, but of the great value of guano on poor and sandy soils, un- 

 der proper application, there cannot exist a doubt. 



A remark has been made by some even of high authority in these 

 -matters, to the effect that having stimulated vegetation highly by these 

 powerful manures, should the application not be continued, the soil 

 would become exhausted and barren. Now is not this true of any ma- 

 nure, of the best cultivated field in the world '!■ Must not the farmer 

 always use maimre? Does he not exert himself to make it as power- 

 ful as possible? Tiiere is no strength in this objection. The results of 

 many careful experiments made in England on various ciops, have 

 been published. They are quite decisive in favor of guano, even com- 

 pared with nitrate of soda and other powerful fertilizers. Another ma- 

 nure I read of as much in favor there, is Potter's artificial guano, com- 

 posed chiefly of the same ingredients as chemical analysis has shown 

 to be contained in the South American guano. Therefore, should the 

 cheap natural source in Peru fail, science has shown how its place can 

 •be sup|)lied, although I fear at rather a more costly rate. 



Dr. C. T. Jackson, of Boston, has also compounded a manure in 

 "which I potted some plants on the 16th of September last, with accu- 

 rate measures of quantity, for the purpose of comparison \vith guano. 

 Just 30 days from that period, the vegetation had commenced most vi- 

 gorously, I think more so even than with the other. I should mention 

 also that there are different qualities of South American guano. I had 

 put aside samples of two lots, but in the hurry of my departure from 

 Boston, I omitted bringing them with me. One is of a light brown 

 snuff color, the other is darker. It is said in Peru that the darkest is 

 the most powerful, and it seems to me that this is true; as the darker 

 has a more pow erful odor: however, I have instituted parallel experi- 

 ments with both, and shall be able in the spring to speak of it with 

 more certainty. But I must have exhausted your patience on this sub-' 

 ject, and will therefore proceed to touch on a few other points, where it 

 is probable that science may be of essential service to agriculture. 

 About two or three years ago, I wrote a letter to the New-England Far- 

 mer, to the effect, amongst other things, that I should not be satisfied 



