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coast of Peru. The best is obtained from the island of Chinchas, and 

 contains about i6 per cent, nitrogen and 9 per cent, phosphoric acid, 

 being light grey in colour when fresh. The guano sold in this country^ 

 however, contains about 5-8 per cent, nitrogen. Some kinds are much 

 more phosphatic than others, and are browner in colour as a result. 

 The large amount of phosphoric acid is due to the fish diet of the 

 birds. The price is about £ib a ton. 



The cheaper grades should be avoided, as uneconomic, being very 

 slowly soluble, and therefore slowly available to the crop. 



Besides the excreta of the birds; the guano contains also decayed 

 remains of fish, birds, seaweeds, &c., together with a Uttle sand. 



Ichaboe guano is the only other commercial guano of any value. 

 This comes from Ichaboe island, off the S.W. coast of Africa. It is 

 generally inferior to that from Peru, and, though richer in nitrogen, 

 contains proportionately less phosphoric acid and more sand. From 

 these remarks it will be seen that a good guano possesses very great 

 value as a fertilizer, affording a long and continual supply of food- 

 material to the plant, but the heavy price £10 to £12 a ton, prohibits 

 its extensive use where gardening is carried on for commercial purposes, 

 it being economical to have sUghtly inferior crops with the use of far 

 cheaper manures. However, where ordinary farmyard or stable manure 

 is not to be obtained, Peruvian guano may be used with advantage, 

 being in fact far cheaper than various compound chemical manures 

 sold at excessive prices. Humus can be suppUed by digging-in green 

 crops and vegetable refuse. Care must be taken in applying it to 

 the growing plant, or injury will result to the roots, and if mixed with 

 potting soil the mixture must be left for a week before use. 



Besides these true guanos, various materials obtained from fish 

 refuse and meat 1 refuse are used as manures. Fish guano is dried 

 powdered fish refuse, most of the oil being first extracted. Meat 

 guano is a similar product from meat refuse. These are also injurious 

 to delicate rootlets, and should be apphed in winter to the bare soil, 

 at the rate of 2 to 10 cwt. an acre, or i to 4 oz. a square yard. Fish 

 guano contains about 7 per cent, nitrogen, 14 per cent, phosphates, 

 and 2 or 3 per cent, potash. Meat guano varies considerably in 

 composition, averaging about 7 per cent, nitrogen and 35 to 40 per cent, 

 phosphate of lime. 



Poultry Mamire.— This forms a valuable fertilizer, if to be had in 

 sufficient quantities, being about four times as valuable as farmyard 

 manure. It should be kept in a dry place. A good dressing is 

 I or 2 lb. a square yard. 



Pigeon Manure.— Although large quantities of this are difficult to 

 obtain, it is well worth using as manure, being about eight times as 

 valuable as farmyard manure. Apply at the rate of J to i^ lb. a 

 square yard. 



Green Manures.— MvLst2.Td and vetches are the two commonest crops 

 grown for this purpose. These are sown broadcast in late summer 

 or autumn on ground just cleared of a crop, and are valuable in saving 



