84 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



dews which fall there moisten the surface of the deposits, and 

 the hot suns harden this damp surface into a crust, which en- 

 tirely prevents the escape of the fertilizing gases, thus preserv- 

 ing all the valuable qualities of the article as a manure. If the 

 guano were washed by the rains, and were exposed to the con- 

 stant evaporation which would follow without such a crust for 

 its protection, it would scarcely pay the expenses of transpor- 

 tation. 



The past year has been extremely unfavorable for all experi- 

 ments with concentrated manures, tried merely as experiments, 

 and its experience can hardly be considered a fair test of the 

 merits of any manure, and especially of a manure which, from 

 its volatile nature, requires to be immediately dissolved by 

 moisture and distributed through the soil. It is desirable, 

 however, to know the risks which must be incurred, as well as 

 the profits which may be gained, in every operation of the farm. 

 If guano should be found to produce comparatively little or no 

 good effect in dry seasons, this consideration should have some 

 weight in our decision upon the expediency or inexpediency of 

 its use. Many failures have been brought to my knowledge in 

 various parts of the State ; of these, some probably arose from 

 the drought, others from want of knowledge or care in the ap- 

 plication. In seasons like the past, this manure frequently 

 does little good. There must be moisture enough after its 

 application to dissolve it. Having occasion to top dress an 

 acre of grass, seeded in September, 1853, 1 mixed 300 pounds of 

 guano with common garden soil in the proportion of one to 

 three, and sowed it upon the last light snow in April. The 

 subsequent rains dissolved it and carried it into the soil, which 

 was a very light, dry, gravelly loam, of no more than ordinary 

 fertility, situated upon the sea shore. The acre produced more 

 than two tons of superior hay. Without the guano, I do not 

 think the produce would have been half as good. If it had 

 been applied a week or two later, the effect would undoubtedly 

 have been far less perceptible. 



I do not think it safe, as a general rule, to put it in the hill 

 and to plant corn or other crops upon it, or even to bury it, as 

 many do, to the depth of a half inch or more with soil, and 

 drop the seeds upon that. This method may succeed some- 



