170 Guano ; its Use and Application. 



that " "with manure and leate)' you can raise any thing." In 

 fact, with an abundance of water, the quantity of maniure 

 may be greatly increased. Last summer we had no water, 

 and of course comparatively no crops. Indeed, it is doubtful 

 whether, in oiu: hght soil, we might not have recourse to 

 regular irrigation, to great advantage ; and whether, too, as 

 our climate becomes more and more dry, we shall not %e 

 compelled to resort to it, in order to insiire the results at which 

 we aim. 



Is it therefore surprismg that with us the experience of last 

 s umm er, with this concentrated essence of manure, should 

 have been somewhat discouraging ? Too much on the sur- 

 face, in a drought, could scarcely fail to ruin crops. 



That guano is a cheap manure is obvious, since, for an 

 ordinary garden of a quarter of an acre, seventy-five pounds 

 only are required. Last year I purchased a ton of prime 

 Peruvian for forty-five dollars, or one dollar and seventy cents 

 for that quantity. 



For use. mine was carefully broken and sifted, mixed thor- 

 oughly with an equal quantity of gypsum finely ground ; 

 and to these two parts, four parts of fine loam were added, 

 and the whole, carefully mixed by riddling and siftmg, was 

 pressed into barrels to prevent loss by evaporation. When 

 used, it was sown upon the soil and thoroughly incorporated 

 with it. When I applied it in excess on corn, last summer, 

 as a top dressmg, the crop was injured by it, and the injury 

 was just in proportion to such excess. That was my only 

 unsuccessful experiment. 



On the whole, therefore, if a proper quantity is thoroughly 

 incorporated with the whole soil, as all enriching matter 

 ought to be, in the spring, this will be found to be the cheap- 

 est and most satisfactory of all manures. Such is the result 

 to which I have arrived, after a full and careful trial of it for 

 the last two seasons. 



New Haven, April 1.5, 1S46. 



The remarks of Mr. Robmson are particularly valuable at 

 this time. We have used guano two years, and, judiciously 

 apphed, the results are truly surprising. — Ed. 



