THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



737 



For the Planter. 



On the Stimulating Properties of Guano— 

 A Reply to "X." 



Mr. Editor: 



It has not been B.\s purpose to even seem 

 to disregard so formidable an antagonist as 

 " X." of the Republican, nor to allow him to 

 take to himself " the flattering unction" of 

 having driven his antagonist from the field. 

 Various circumstances have conspired to pre- 

 clude an earlier reply. 



At the outset "X." will be pleased to call 

 on B. to assure him, that he has written 

 nought with ill will — that he has had no de- 

 sign to " pitch into him." No, he would not 

 hurt a hair of his head. B.'s aim has been 

 higher than this ; it has been, so far as his 

 feeble powers might enable him. to expose 

 what he regarded as error, both practically and 

 scientifically, and thereby contribute a mite to 

 the advancement of practical and scientific ag- 

 riculture. If "X." has in anyway suffered, 

 it has fallen out to him by having placed him- 

 self in a vulnerable position. The taunting 

 charge of " great cry and no wool," and " emp- 

 ty phrase," B. does not suffer to disturb his 

 equanimity — aware that such things not only 

 contain no argument, but indicate the want of 

 it. Ridicule is the weapon ordinarily appeal- 

 ed to when facts and arguments have been ex- 

 hausted and failed to secure victory. 



If the readers of the S. Planter are such 

 gumps as " X." makes them to be, it might 

 well be regarded as time and labour thrown 

 away to write or print anything for them. 

 Says " X." : " If Mr. B. can prove his asser- 

 tions to the satisfaction of the numerous rea- 

 ders of the S. Planter, they will necessarily 

 infer that I ('X/) am right, and always will 

 be right, and that Mr. B. had no substantial 

 ground for an attack on me. But if he (B.) 

 cannot prove his assertions, then our readers 

 must infer that I am right and Mr. B. is 

 wrong again." Now, it is certainly exceeding- 

 ly disingenuous in " X." to require of B. 

 proof of any assertion, knowing, as he here 

 declares, that the cards are so stocked against 

 him, that the result will be the same whether 

 his assertions are proven or not. To have the 

 " rara avis in terra' 1 of a man, that " always 

 will be right," B. is willing to attempt the 

 proof of any assertion he has made. But, 

 apart from this consideration, there is but one 

 that he cares much to prove, and that is, that 

 Guano does not merely stimulate and impov- 

 erish the soil, furnishes no pabulum for the 

 plant, but does furnish nutriment to the plant 

 tm& fertility to the soil. " X." ought to know 

 that this is the paramount question at issue be- 

 tween him and B. If he has forgotten let 

 him refer to the June No. of the Planter, 

 page 379 ; he will there find written : " Here- 

 in consists the very gist of the question in 



dispute. If Guano stimulates and impover- 

 ishes the soil, and Rhode's Superphosphate 

 furnishes nutritious materials and enriches, 

 then " X." is right, and B. wrong. But, on 

 the other hand, if Guano applied to the soil will 

 greatly increase the crop, and leave the land 

 greatly improved in fertility, then B. is right, 

 and " X." wrong. " X." takes no notice of this, 

 but mounts his favourite hobby and cries, "I 

 still contend that Guano stimulates the soil." 

 This calls to mind an anecdote heard in years 

 gone by, of two bull dogs and a monkey, kept 

 by a gentleman for his amusement. The dogs 

 were one day observed in hot pursuit of the 

 monkey, who escaped capture by running up a 

 pole standing near by. Pug, though out of pres- 

 ent danger, yet, seemingly, desiring more com- 

 fortable quarters, began to clap his hands, (fore 

 feet,) and thereby got the dogs into a fight; 

 and while the dogs were fighting, he made 

 good a safe retreat. " X." well knows it mat- 

 ters but little whether "Guano stimulates the 

 soil or the plant," if, indeed, it impoverishes 

 the soil, and Rhode's Superphosphate furnishes 

 solid food for the plant, and substantial fertil- 

 ity to the soil. 



Says " X." : " That Guano stimulates the 

 soil, I could have said to the farming commu- 

 nity of the whole globe. Why, then, should I not 

 thus address the leading journal in the 'Great 

 West?' Will Mr. B. face to the music and 

 answer?" B. faces to the music and answers, 

 that a spade should be called a spade because 

 it is a spade and not a broad-axe; so " X." 

 should have written, " stimulate the plant, (if 

 indeed he must have 'stimulate/) and not 

 stimulate the soil, because the soil is not and 

 cannot be stimulated." If, indeed, " X." could 

 have said to the farming community of the 

 whole globe that " Guano stimulates the soil," 

 this gives no right to thus address leading 

 journals in the "Great West," any more than 

 having humbugged ten men gives the right to 

 humbug the eleventh. 



B. bids a kindly adieu to " X.," wishing 

 him a pleasant airing upon his gallant hobby. 

 And in conclusion, takes leave to say, that he 

 would not willingly prejudice any one against 

 Rhode's Superphosphate. Let it command all 

 its due, but let it not, nor any of its kindred, 

 usurp the throne and reign king over Pe- 

 ruvian Guano. J. D. S. 



For the Planter. 



Staunton Nurseries. 

 Staunton, Va., Oct. 16th, 1858. 

 Editor Southern Planter: 



Dear Sir — I have this day forwarded to 

 your office a box containing 34 varieties 

 of apple and 1 of pear. They are not 

 generally over medium sized specimens, 

 and some are imperfect, the latter part of 



