MANTTHES. Sif 



cessively, it might lead to some general conclusion as to their perma- 

 nent value. 



Then, again, we want to know whether it will pay to use them. 

 There are some who stoutly deny this, and well they may, when there 

 is nothing but guessing to prove that they do pay. There is nothing 

 like careful and accurate experiment to quiet all doubt in this matter. 

 If a man has ocular demonstration in the half bushel, that it pays to 

 use guano, or superphosphate, and gives a handsome profit besides, 

 he has something that he can rely upon in his future operations, and 

 his experience may be made useful to others. 



With regard to the use of guano, there are two points particularly, 

 on which much uncertainty rests, and which, it is to be hoped, the in- 

 ducements held out by the Society, in the way of premiums for expe- 

 riments, may be the means of elucidating. 



One of these points involves the question whether the action of 

 guano continues more than one season : the other, whether land can 

 be kept from ultimate deterioration by this manure alone. In regard 

 to the first of these questions, we have isolated facts, which go to 

 show that its good effects are not exhausted in a single season. A 

 case came under the observation of one of your committee, in 

 which guano, applied on the ridges of peas in the spring of 1855, 

 produced before the usual time for ploughing the present season, a 

 luxuriant, spontaneous growth of white and red clover. We might 

 cite other instances of a similar nature, but not enough to establish a 

 general principle. It is gratifying to know that with regard to the 

 other point, the possibility of keeping land in good condition by the 

 use of this manure alone, that that there are intelligent and enter- 

 prising farmers among us, whose experiments will go far to settle this 

 much mooted question. We have in mind, particularly, a gentleman 

 whose experience as given to the public not long since, already runs 

 through a period of several years, and who is determined to satisfy 

 himself, if no one else, on this subject. We incline to the opinion, 

 that it can be done. It certainly requires good evidence to convince 

 one that the pittance of two pounds of manure to the square rod 

 should produce eight pounds of corn, and as much of corn stalks, but 

 these are facts that cannot be denied, and if it will do this on the 

 lightest soils for one year, there seems no good reason why it should 

 not for any number of years. 



What is most wanted now is some philosophical explanation of the 

 fact. If it could be shown that guano, besides furnishing valuable 



