122 
CULTURE OF POTATOES.-GUANO IN PERU. 
likewise be covered at pleasure with doors sliding 
along the face of the pit; d, the furnace. 
The section, B, denotes the bottom-heat chamber, 
cold-air drains, and direction of the currents ; a,the 
entrance for cold air; b, cold-air drains ; e , bottom- 
heat chamber. 
The longitudinal section of the house, C, shows 
the hot-air chamber, furnace, built of Stourbridge 
bricks and surrounded with two inches of sand, 
and covered over with an iron plate in three widths, 
from three-fourths to an inch thick, with a rim pro¬ 
jecting from its under edge all round to fall into the 
groove in the top cornice of the brick work, which 
is to be filled with sand; the cistern is made of iron, 
four inches deep, in two divisions, and fed through 
a pipe from above; the roof has a cavity to be 
filled with saw-dust, to prevent the escape of heat; 
c, entrance for hot-air ; d, furnace. 
CULTURE OP POTATOES. 
In looking over the Agriculturist for February, 
I noticed your article entitled “Farmers, send in your 
Facts.” Not being much of a farmer, I should cer¬ 
tainly not have written a word, but you say, write 
be it ever so homely. Although I have no large 
crops to boast of, not having measured them, and 
not liking to guess, I have concluded to send my 
experience in planting potatoes, and inform you of 
their escape from the disease—with the exception of 
one variety—so prevalent in our country. 
In the year 1845, the ground, which was sward, 
was turned over and planted with corn, excepting 
four rods square, reserved for experimenting on 
the coming summer. I had read several accounts 
that potatoes planted early would not be diseased. 
I accordingly, as quick as die land would possibly 
do, commenced operations, plowing and harrow¬ 
ing thoroughly. The ground was a light loamy soil 
containing a little more than an acre, on which were 
spread broadcast, twenty-five cart-bucksful of sta¬ 
ble manure, evenly over the surface. The land was 
then struck into ridges, and about the first of April 
planted with Meshannocks, English-whites, blue- 
eyes, Sandy-lakes, and Scotch-greys; the Mes¬ 
hannocks occupying the turf ground. The pota¬ 
toes were cut through the centre, and one half 
placed in the hill with a table spoonful of plaster. 
The mode of cultivation was exactly alike. The 
potatoes were planted two and a half feet each 
way, plowed and hoed twice, nothing more done 
to them till digging. The Meshannocks were badly 
affected with the rot, not more than one-quarter of 
them were sound. In some hills there was not a 
sound one in them, in others there were half a dozen 
in them. The other varieties were not affected at 
all; they were most all of large size. In another 
lot I planted in May, they were most all decayed. 
These were planted on meadow land, consisting of 
a dark, damp soil, turned over the fall before; it 
was treated in the same manner, and planted with 
the same kind of potatoes as the former. 
Now, Mr. Editor, can you tell me why one va¬ 
riety should be so affected and the others not ? I 
have come to the conclusion that if we raise pota¬ 
toes without disease, we must plant them early and 
on dry, warm soil, and not manure too highly. 
Have I come to the right conclusions ? (o) I do 
not believe it is an insect, for, if it were, why would 
not one part be affected as another. I think it is 
more in the land than anything else. 
A Farmington Farmer. 
(a) So far as avoiding the use of rich putrescent 
manures is concerned in the culture of potatoes, our 
correspondent is right; but as to the other matters, 
it would be impossible for us to give any satisfac¬ 
tory opinion at present, not knowing the state of the 
seed potatoes, whether healthy or diseased; the 
quality of the soil; and other circumstances neces¬ 
sary to assist our judgment. 
ORIGIN AND APPLICATION OF GUANO IN 
PERU. 
Guano (or, according to the more correct ortho¬ 
graphy, Huanu ) is formed of the excrements of 
different kinds of marine birds, as mews, divers, 
sheerbeaks, &c., the immense flocks of wffiich, as 
they fly along the coast of Peru, appear like clouds. 
When their vast numbers, their extraordinary vo¬ 
racity, and the facility with which they procure 
their food, are considered, one cannot be surprised 
at the magnitude of the beds of Guano, which have 
resulted from the uninterrupted accumulation during 
many thousands of years. It is found on all the 
islands, and on most of the uninhabited promonto¬ 
ries of the west coast of South America, especially 
in those parts within the tropics. It occurs in 
enormous layers of from 35 to 40 feet thick. The 
upper strata are of a greyish-brown color, which, 
lower down, become darker. In the lower strata, 
the color is a rusty red, as if tinged by oxide of iron. 
The Guano becomes progressivly more and more 
solid from the surface downwards, a circumstance 
naturally accounted for by the gradual deposit of 
the strata, and the evaporation of the fluid par¬ 
ticles. 
During the first year of the deposit, the strata are 
white, and it is then called Guano Blanco. In the 
opinion of the Peruvian cultivators, this is the most 
efficacious kind. It is found in the Punta de Hor- 
millos, on the islands of Islay, Jesus, Margarita, 
&c. 
Much has recently been written on the employ¬ 
ment and utility of Guano; but the manner in 
wdiich it is applied as manure, in Peru, seems to be 
but little known. The Peruvians use it chiefly in 
the cultivation of maize and potatoes. A few w r eeks 
after the seeds begin to shoot, a little hollow is dug 
round each root, and is filled up with Guano, which 
is afterwards covered with a layer of earth. After 
the lapse of twelve or fourteen hours, the whole 
field is laid under water, and is left in that state for 
some hours. Of the Guano Blanco , a less quantity 
suffices, and the field must be more speedily and 
abundantly watered, otherwise the roots w r ould be 
destroyed. The effect of this manure is incredibly 
rapid. In a few days the growth of a plant is 
doubled. If the manure is repeated a second time, 
but in smaller quantity, a rich harvest is certain. 
At least the produce will be three fold that which 
w r ould have been obtained from the unmanured 
soil. — Translated from Dr. Tschudi’s late Travels in 
Peru. 
