Jui-T 10, 1908] 



SCIENCE 



63 



More harm is wrought than if the birds had 

 been routed in April; then, by the beginning 

 of the new season of laying, they might have 

 found themselves established in the new 

 homes. The case is imaginary, but it leads 

 to the following important conclusion: Be- 

 fore deciding whether to open or close the 

 south island of the Chinchas, the Lobos de 

 Afuera, the Zarate, the Isla Blanca, or any 

 one of many large and small which have 

 birds in reproduction, it should be carefully 

 considered how much guano is required and 

 from what places it may be obtained. The 

 determination of which islands should remain 

 closed and which open can then be made in- 

 telligently, and the islands opened at once 

 or else kept finally and absolutely closed. 



It is hardly necessary to refer to the fact 

 that the condition of the sea in the winter 

 months is much more unfavorable for the 

 extraction of guano than in April or May. 



The closed season serves a most useful pur- 

 pose, but for the future the dependence must 

 be placed on closure for periods of years, and 

 less emphasis may be laid on the matter of a 

 month or two. 



V. TO PLACE THE EXTRACTION OF GUANO FOR 



NATIONAL AGRICULTURE IN THE HANDS OF 



A SINGLE COMPANY 



Such a measure as this I believe to be a 

 part of the ultimate solution of the problem. 

 Saying this, I have no reference to any spe- 

 cial arrangements which may be pending and 

 with the terms of which I am unfamiliar. 

 In making arrangements with a company, 

 many subsidiary problems arise, such as, the 

 effective protection of the birds, the proper 

 system of rotation of the islands, the manner 

 of conducting the work, the proper distribu- 

 tion of the guano in case the supply does not 

 equal the demand, the analysis of the guano, 

 and the selling by units of nitrogen and of 

 phosphoric acid, the guarantee of an equitable 

 price, etc. Undoubtedly these problems will 

 be carefully studied out before any permanent 

 contract with a company is entered into. 



The merit of placing the guano extraction 

 in the hands of a company depends upon 

 making the contract last for a period of years. 



say for ten years or more. By this means the 

 company is induced to plan for the future, 

 which is the desideratum. 



It is likewise very desirable that some ad- 

 justment may be made with The Peruvian 

 Corporation Limited, with entire regard to all 

 natural obligations, but with a view to se- 

 curing a harmonious plan of working for the 

 protection of the birds, and also to enabling 

 the national agriculture to get the best of 

 the guano, at a reasonable cost, and with 

 prices proportional to the value of the guano. 

 It is difficult to believe that two companies 

 working in rivalry for the same guano will 

 not work to the injury of the birds, unless 

 each be strictly limited as to territory, or 

 some way be found of harmonizing the rival 

 interests for the benefit of the industry. 



There are other important questions which 

 need not be discussed here, but which should 

 be suggested for consideration. A govern- 

 ment bureau for the analysis of guano might 

 be established in order to give to the small 

 agriculturist the same advantage which the 

 larger haciendas now enjoy, namely, of buy- 

 ing the guano by analysis. I have known 

 cases of the adulteration of guano by sand, 

 for the simple reason that the guano so re- 

 duced in quality could be sold by the con- 

 tractor at the same price as a guano of higher 

 grade. The price to all farmers, large or 

 small, should be directly proportional to the 

 value of the guano in the fertilizing elements 

 as shown by analysis. The matter of having 

 deposits of guano on shore has sometimes 

 been suggested. This might serve to expedite 

 the extraction of guano on the islands, so that 

 they could earlier be abandoned to the birds, 

 even if the fertilizer could not be sold and 

 delivered at once. The shore deposits might 

 be utilized to equalize the annual supply, and 

 they might serve as the basis for mixing sta- 

 tions, should this prove practicable, where 

 guanos of any desired strength of phosphoric 

 acid and nitrogen could be prepared and sup- 

 plied according to order. 



CONCLUSION 



It is seen, then, that there are many ques- 

 tions which require to be carefully studied 



