224 European Agriculture and Rural Economy. 



isons made between guano and other manures, are not quite satisfactory in 

 respect to quantities, because it is obviously very difficult to institute any 

 instructive comparison between so many pounds of guano, and so many 

 loads of manure ; manure is so various in its nature, quality, bulk, &c. ; 

 but it will be quite easy to compare the two in respect to the ease or diffi- 

 culty of their transportation, and of their application to the plant or soil. 

 Comparisons, likewise, in respect to the cost of different applications, as 

 made here, would be of little use in the United States, as prices of manure 

 and of labor are totally different ; and the one can afford no rule for the 

 other. In this matter, the farmers of the United States must judge for 

 themselves. 



The quantity which it is deemed best to apply, varies from two hundred 

 weight to four hundred weight, or five hundred weight. Frequent cases 

 have occurred of the application of five hundred weight and eight hundred 

 weight, to a statute acre, with great advantage. Cases are on record of 

 twenty-nine and thirty hundred weight being applied to grass land with a 

 great, but not, most certainly, a remunerating increase of crop. 1 met one 

 farmer in Lincolnshire, who thought more than one hundred weight applied 

 to turnips was unnecessary ; but the almost universal testimony is in favor 

 of three hundred weight. A bushel of sifted guano weighs from fifty-two 

 to fifty-four pounds. 



In regard to the mode of application, it is well settled that it should sel- 

 dom be applied alone. To garden vegetables, or greenhouse plants, it may 

 be applied in a state of solution in water. In field cultivation, it may be 

 applied, by being mixed with four or six times its quantity of dry earth or 

 mould. In this way, it may be sown broadcast over the field, and then 

 lightly harrowed or turned in ; or it may be sown first in the same drill 

 where the seed is to be dropped ; great care must be taken, however, that 

 it does not come in contact with the seed, or it will destroy its vegetative 

 powers. It is desirable that it should be covered as soon as may be after 

 being sown. The best farmers give a caution against mixing it with lime, 

 or bones, or wood-ashes, as these substances, coming in contact with it, 

 will drive off its ammonia. 



Where a portion of barn manure has been applied in conjunction with 

 guano, the mixture has been found much more efficacious than the manure 

 when applied alone. In an application which I saw, guano gave seven tons 

 of turnips increase to an acre over an artificial manure which had been much 

 praised, and was applied at the same time. 



A good mode of preparing it for application is to mix it with fine earth, 

 on the headlands of the field where it is to be used, forming it, with the 

 earth, into alternate layers, in the proportion of earth to the guano of three 

 to one ; and after it has remained two or three days, thoroughly incorpo- 

 rating them together by turning over the heap. 



With potatoes, it should be placed in the drill or hole, but not in contact 

 with the set or seed ; and for Indian corn — a case in which I have had no 

 experience — it would seem advisable to adopt a similar method." 



