276 American Ag. Association of JV. Y. — Report on Guano. Vol. IX* 



mon plant or tree: to enumerate a few is 

 sufficient. Wheat, corn, grass, the cerealia, 

 sugar-cane, tobacco, apple, pear, and other 

 fruit trees, flowers, cabbages, turnips, and 

 other cruciferous plants ; the experiments 

 are fewest on leguminous plants. But the 

 effect of guano will not be equal on all ; for 

 those plants requiring most stable manure, 

 such as tobacco, turnips and corn, are more 

 benefited than grass, oats, or such as re- 

 quire less — the chief effect of the manure 

 being due to the quantity of the ammonia it 

 contains. The reason guano is serviceable 

 to all plants, arises from its containing every 

 saline and organic matter they require as 

 food. 



Kinds of soil to which it may be applied. 

 — It has been used beneficially on all soils ; 

 for as it contains every element necessary 

 to plants, it is independent of the quality of 

 the soil — one great point being attended to, 

 that the land be in good tilth ; for, other- 

 wise, the tender roots of the vegetable find 

 an obstruction to free growth, and are crip- 

 pled. Poor, well-tilled soils, exhibit most 

 increase by guano, for in them some essen- 

 tial to the growth of plants is more likely 

 to be absent. 



Amount to be applied. — On wheat 250 lbs. 

 per acre, will be an average for a fair soil ; 

 300 lbs. for one that is poor, and 200 for a 

 good soil. Corn, potatoes, turnips, cabbages 

 and garden vegetables, will require 300 lbs. 

 in fair lands; but the amount may be di- 

 minished by 50 lbs., if two applications are 

 made instead of one. For grass, rye, and 

 oats, 200 lbs. will be enough. 



Time and mode of application. — Seeds 

 may be prepared by soaking in a solution of 

 two lbs. of guano to the gallon of water, and 

 this will answer for a first manuring, if they 

 are left sufficiently long to exhibit signs of 

 germination. Wheat and other small grains 

 should be steeped in this solution about sixty 

 hours, corn about one hundred hours. Thus 

 steeped, the seeds of smut will also be de- 

 stroyed. Half the quantity to the acre to 

 be applied when the plant has fairly started, 

 and is in second leaf By this timely addi- 

 tion, the effects of many insects are avoided, 

 and the seedling at once takes on a robust 

 habit. The remaining half should be ap 

 plied to the small grain crops when they 

 are throwing out new stems, or tillering; to 

 corn, as the tassel appears, or at the second 

 hoeing, and so with other hoed crops. This 

 application should be made, therefore, at the 

 latest period of working, and as nearly be 

 fore flowering as practicable. The guano 

 should be sowed with a mixture of fine soil, 

 gypsum or charcoal, to give it bulk and di 

 vide the particles. No lumps should be 



thrown amongst the plants, for they burn 

 them ; and where an extensive application 

 is to be made, it is better to screen the ma- 

 nure and pound the lumps. In sowing, reach 

 the soil, if possible, for it is unserviceable to 

 sprinkle it on the plants, and frequently de- 

 stroys them. Select a season when the land 

 is wet or moist, or when rain may be ex- 

 pected; for in dry weather the guano does 

 not answer well, or even does injury, by 

 acting as a caustic on vegetation. But if 

 the crop suits, always prefer manuring the 

 plant or hill ; do this whilst hoeing ; less 

 guano is thus used, and more certain effects 

 result. One table spoonful to the hill of 

 corn, tobacco, potatoes, &c., is an abundance 

 for each application. If a solution be pre- 

 ferred, mix one pound in ten gallons of wa- 

 ter, and water sparingly with this on the 

 soil, and not on the plants, at tlie times be- 

 fore mentioned, taking care to stir up the 

 insoluble portion when applied. For this 

 purpose the African variety will be most 

 suitable. Or, where rapid growth is wanted, 

 irrespective of seed, the clear solution may 

 be applied; the insoluble matter, phosphates, 

 &c., being reserved for wheat and corn. 

 Guano may be composted with common soil, 

 or anything but lime and unleached ashes ; 

 for these liberate the free ammonia, and thus 

 diminish tlie effects of the manure. 



Value, compared with other manures. — So 

 far as the experiments in England and Scot- 

 land may be adduced, one cwt. of guano is 

 equal to about five tons of farm-yard manure 

 on an average ; but it is much higher for 

 turnips than for grass, &c. It would be ad- 

 visable that in the very different climate of 

 the United States, comparative experiments 

 be made on this point. Let twenty single 

 cart loads of stable manure be used per acre, 

 on wheat, corn, »Sz,c., and contrasted with 

 four cwt. of guano. It would also be of 

 service to the agricultural world, that some 

 experiments were made on the value of the 

 organic and inorganic portions of guano. A 

 plot of ground eight square yards, may be 

 divided into two parts, half manured with 

 the ordinary guano, and half with the ashes 

 remaining after burning. In this way the 

 proportionate effect of the organic and saline 

 parts would be estimated, and the conclu- 

 sion be serviceable, insomuch as the saline 

 matters can be mixed into a compost for a 

 trifling sum, and thus the expense of guano 

 avoided. 



D. P. Gardner, M. D. 



Persevere against discouragements. Let 

 obstructions only stimulate to increased ex- 

 ertion. 



