1862. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



215 



AMERICAN GUANO. 



We have often stated to the reader that we 

 thought a judicious use of some of the specific fer- 

 tilizers now so common among us might be prof- 

 itably applied to most of our New England crops 

 — not as prime agents, but as auxiliaries, after the 

 farmer has exhausted all his skill and resources in 

 the accumulation of manure on his own farm. 

 This must always be his first aim. When he 

 makes his experiment, however, it should be fairly 

 and liberally done ; that is, expend a certain 

 amount of money for a fertilizer, and apply it to a 

 portion of some crop, leaving another portion of 

 the crop without it, but under circumstances pre- 

 cisely alike in every other respect ; then, by a 

 careful weighing or measurement of the crop, he 

 will be able to learn what the fertiHzer has accom- 

 plished. The error made by most persons is, that 

 too little of the specific manure is applied, and that 

 it is not spread over a sufficient space, and thor- 

 oughly incorporated with the soil. It should be 

 scattered over a square of eight or ten inches, and 

 intimately mingled with the soil around it. 



We have reaUzed great success in the use of 

 the American Guano on fields of corn, and on 

 nearly all the garden edibles, and think others 

 may derive the same advantages, by using it lib- 

 erally, say at the rate of 400 or 500 pounds per 

 acre, and by taking equal pains in its application. 

 We are confirmed in this opinion by a statement 

 made by the renowned Baron Lieeig, which we 

 recently found in the Patent Office Reports. He 

 says: 



I have spent two months' labor in the matter. 

 The Baker's Island guano contains more phos- 

 phoric acid than any other known fertilizer, and it 

 IS similar in its ingredients to natural phosphorite, 

 diff'ering from it, however, in the following re- 

 markable particulars : 



Phosphorite is in a crystalized state, and is com- 

 pletely insoluble in water. The Baker's Island 

 guano, on the contrary, is amorphous, is soluble 

 to a considerable extent in pure water, and when 

 moistened, colors litmus paper red. The Jarvis 

 Island guano has also an acid reaction, and is 

 partly soluble in water. It is worthy of remark 

 that the Jarvis guano, although only half as rich 

 in earthy phosphates as the Baker's, gives to wa- 

 ter a greater quantity of soluble phosphoric acid. 

 I regard the discovery of these guano deposits as 

 a most fortunate event for agriculture. At the 

 present time the prices of fertilizers, like bones, 

 are now continually on the increase, and soon the 

 agriculturist will not be able to procure, at paying 

 rates, an amount sufficient for his wants. Baker's 

 Island guano, being of all fertilizers the richest in 

 phosphoric acid, will be of especial importance. 

 As far as chemistry can judge, there is hardly 

 room for a doubt that, in all cases where the fertil- 

 ity of a field would be increased by the use of bone 

 dust, the Baker's Island guano will be used with 

 decided advantage. The phosphate of lime in the 

 Baker's Island guano is far more easily dissolved 

 than that of bones ; and if we take the proportion 



of that ingredient to be 60 lbs. in the latter, 100 

 lbs. in the Baker's Island guano are equivalent to 

 140 lbs. of bones. Thus the agriculturist would 

 be benefited as much by using 70 lbs. of Baker's 

 Island guano as by 100 lbs. of bone dust. This 

 guano contains in ammonia, nitric acid, and azotic 

 substances, nearly one per cent, of active nitrogen. 

 A small addition of salt of ammonia would give it 

 the full strength of Peruvian guano. 



It seems hardly possible that tliis guano could 

 be employed without profit, while it contains the 

 well-known nutritive elements which he ascribes 

 to it, and at the prices for which it is now being 

 sold. We hope our farmers will test it in a small 

 way, using it liberally as far as they go, and care- 

 fully watching its effects upon the crops. We 

 shall be glad to publish reports of such experi- 

 ments. 



For the Neio Englartd Farmer. 



THE BIGHT THING IN THE RIGHT 

 PLACE AT THE BIGHT TIME. 



Mr. Editor : — It would be well for us, and for 

 all mankind, if we always had the right thing in 

 the right place at the right time. I do not know 

 that this is a practicable thing for human beings ; 

 but if it be, we ought immediately to set ourselves 

 aboMt it, and reduce it to practice, because our 

 progress, improvement and happiness depend upon 

 it. This is more than the wisest and best of us 

 do, and perhaps more than we can do, at present ; 

 and, if so, it is more than can be r-easonably ex- 

 pected of us by others. It is perhaps more than 

 God himself expects us to accomplish at present ; 

 and yet he evidently requires us to aim at perfec- 

 tion, and to come as near to it as possible. It 

 would be well for us, therefore, to make this our 

 aim, our constant study and endeavor to have the 

 right thing in the right place at the right time. 



Let us apply this motto to some of the opera- 

 tions in farming, and see if we cannot be excited 

 to greater vigilance, punctuality and promptitude. 

 Though there is no such thing as perfection in 

 farming, yet success in the business depends, not 

 only upon having every tiling in its right place at 

 the right time, but upon having every thing done 

 at the right time and in the best manner possible. 

 If we fail in either of these respects, we shall be 

 unsuccessful in the business. For instance, if the 

 tools and implements we use in farming be the old 

 antiquated things of a bygone age, so clumsy, un- 

 wieldly and cumbersome as to be inconvenient, 

 unhandy and unfitted for use, and ill adapted to 

 the purposes of husbandry, we have not the right 

 tools to work with ; and no skill on our part, in 

 the use of such tools, can ever make up for their 

 deficiency. So, too, if we raise the diff"erent kinds 

 of animals, but so small in size, so slow in growth, 

 and so mean in appearance, as to be unsaleable 

 and unprofitalile, we evidently do not keep the 

 right breed of animals ; and no economy on our 

 part can compensate for the want of a better stock 

 of animals. So, too, if we raise all the diff"erent 

 kinds of fruit, but so small and knurly and defec- 

 tive and ill-flavored, as to be quite useless and un- 

 profitable ; or, if we raise all the different kinds of 

 vegetables, but so stinted and diminutive in size, 

 and so unsavory in quality and flavor, as to be 



