AMERICAN IMPLEiMENTS. GUANO. 421 



have been on a wrong systena, and I am not quite so sure but to a certain extent this is so. 

 Last lambing season vast quantities of lambs died, and ewes also in this county, but it was 

 generally supposed to be the distemper, a disease that has been in this county to a fearful 

 ■extent. Many persons last season, probably on account of the distemper, gave an increased 

 quantity of salt to their flock, from an idea that it would check the distemper, which may 

 in fact have destroyed both ewes and lambs, according to Mr. Robinson's theoiy. At all 

 events it is a subject well worthy ol consideration and discussion, aiid I trust these few re- 

 marks may attract the eye of more experienced persons than myself. If it shall be shown 

 that this assertion of Mr. Robinson is right, and that turnips are injurious to a breeding- 

 flock, the sooner the present system is abandoned the better, and com or oil-cake must be 

 given in lieu. I should add that the Swede turnip is usually pitted for lambing time, and 

 the red and white tops consumed during the whiter season." 



Exhibition and Triai, of America.v Implements in England. — Society of Arts, De- 

 cember 8, T. HoBLYN, Esq., in the Chair. Mr. Slocum exhibited two plows, a scythe and 

 cradle for reaping corn, a grass-scytlie, three spring-tempered manure and hay forks, a cast- 

 steel hand-hoe, and an ax of American manufacture. He stated the peculiarity of these im- 

 plements to consist in their lightness, cheapness and durabihty, thus enabling the agricul- 

 tural laborers to accomplish a larger amount of daily work at a less cost. The implements 

 he exhibited were such as are commonly used in the United States. A letter was read 

 from Mr. Love, of Manor House, Naseby, in which he states the plows were tried on a clay 

 soil in rather a dry state against Adams's Northampton plow and one of Howard's Champion 

 plows. Howard's, when working five niches deep by eleven inches wide, had a draught of 

 thirty-one stones, and Adams's plow, at the same width and depth, a draught of tliirty stones, 

 whUe the American plow, at five inches deep and. fourteen wide, drew only twenty-six stones. 

 "Injustice to the American plows, I must say," observes Mr. Love, " that they cut up and 

 cleaned their furrow quite as well as the other plows, and also turned the earth completely, 

 breaking it and putting the soil in capital position for diilling or dibbhng ; they are the most 

 simple, strong, light and effective plows it is possible to conceive." Other experiments 

 were also made, and the draught tested by the dynamometer. The cost of the plows Mr. 

 ■Slocum stated to be £2 each. 



Perhaps this may fall under the eye of some one who can tell from what 

 manufactory the American implements, and particularly the plow, were sent. 



It is believed that Mr. Colman was once present at a trial of American and 

 English plows, where the decision was in favor of the latter. It were to be 

 wished that our Societies would invite Mr. Ransome, the great improver and 

 manufacturer of the best English plows, to send over one or more to be tested 

 against the best American, such as are turned out from Prouty's or Ruggles & 

 Nourse's establishments. Although not so attractive and exciting to the crowd at a 

 Cattle-Show, as Tom Thumb and the monkeys, fat stallions and cows with 

 three calves, musicians, and sheep with four horns, and other live animals, im- 

 proved hnplements constitute everywhere the most valuable department, and de- 

 serve the continued and especial favor of all well-directed associations and efforts 

 to promote improvements in American Husbandry ; and truly the improvement 

 has been wonderful, even within our recollection. 



Guano. — The writer of these notes distributed two barrels of Peruvian guano 

 m Maryland twenty-five years ago, and endeavored to spread a conviction of its 

 value, by giving translations from Ulloa & Humboldt to show its efficacy and the 

 manner of using it. It was admitted by one gentleman to be a powerful fertil- 

 izer, but nothing was done toward obtaining any farther supply. Now see what 

 Las been the progress in the use of it in England : 



Ships entered. Tons, i Sliips entered. Tons 



In 1841 7 1,73.T In 18« 13 4,056 



1842 41 12,000 I 1844 286 81,902 



In 1845 679 ships entered, with 219,764 tons. 



We have no particulars before us coming down to this time. Guano is known 

 to be the excrement of sea-fowl, deposited by them on many of the rocky islands 

 of the Pacific and Atlantic during the breeding-season. Its price last year in 

 England was quoted : Ichaboc, $30 to $40 per ton ; Peruvian, $50 to $52, 



(821) 



