32 The Profitable Culture of Vegetables. 



Kainit contains about 12 per cent, pure potash, 14 per cent, 

 sulphate of magnesia, and 34 per cent, common salt/ It should 

 always be used in autumn so that the rains of winter can wash 

 away some of the injurious salts; it is then a very valuable 

 fertilizer, being especially beneficial to clovers, mangolds, 

 potatoes, asparagus, &c., and to any crop needing magnesia as 

 well as potash. Kainit is also credited with the property of 

 checking both insect and fungoid pests in the soil. On heavy 

 soil it should not be used too frequently on the same plot as it 

 destroys the texture. 



Use at the rate of from 3 to 5 cwts. per acre, or 1 to 3 ozs. 

 per square yard. 



MISCELLANEOUS FERTILIZERS. 



Peruvian Guano is a fertilizing material consisting almost 

 wholly of the- accumulated excreta of sea-birds, found on the 

 islands and sea-coast of the comparatively rainless districts of 

 Peru. The highest class of the original deposits has become 

 exhausted, and since then much of that obtainable has had a 

 very low percentage of nitrogen. In recent years, however, 

 new deposits have accumulated and supplies with a high per- 

 centage of nitrogen are again obtainable. The best guano is a 

 light grey powder and contains about 16 per cent, nitrogen and 

 9 per cent, phosphoric acid, but the bulk of the. best imports 

 contains rather less than half this quantity of nitrogen. As a 

 rule both the nitrogen and phosphoric acid in the lower grades 

 are much less soluble than in the richer ones, which also 

 makes them still less desirable. 



In a good guano the fertilizing properties are well balanced, 

 some of them being immediately available whilst the remainder 

 come into use continuously and equably, feeding the crop from 

 seed to maturity. It is a safe manure and may be used with 

 all crops. 



To avoid chances of adulteration Peruvian guano should 

 always be bought in the sealed bags in which it is distributed, 

 and it should be accompanied by a guaranteed analysis. 



Equalized Peruvian Guano is prepared by adding sulphate 

 of ammonia to guanos rich in phosphates and poor in nitrogen. 



