I'M 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
[May. 
cargoes, and ’.lie remarks thereon by Prof. S. W. 
Johnson, who conducted the experiments. 
Yale Analytical Laboratory, ) 
New-Haven, Conn,, March 10, 1800. \ 
John B. Sardy, Esq —Dear Sir: This may certify that 
I liave inspected the discharged guano cargoes of the 
sliips Gosport, Rambler, and Polynesia, late from Jarvis 
Island, have had average samples taken in my presence, 
ai d have submitted the same to chemical analyses, with 
tne following results. The table also includes analyses 
of a sample of the Victory’s cargo, Jarvis Island, and of 
a specimen from Baker’s Island. 
Cosport. 
do. 
Rambler. 
do. 
Victory . 
do. 
Polynesia 
do. 
Baker’s Island 
do. do . 
K 
o 
89 
= 
o' z 
Lime . 
1 
$ 
3*0 
s? =T 
5 
CD & 
o 
CD Z±. 
c. o 
$ = 
S* 
U v 
£ h 
CD fc 
> 
o 
• o 
• £ 
* 2 
. ~ 
El 
: o' 
• o 
• C- 
• CD 
9.33 
13.37 
33.88 
2L81 
20.33 
9.24 
13 2- 
33.59 
22.01 
20.33 
13.22 
8.39 
34.17 
19.10 
25.07 
12.09 
8.97 
33.08 
19.18 
25.07 
7 08 
7.75 
36.31 
25.67 
21.75 
8.85 
6.65 
36 33 
25.12 
21.75 
12 00 
7.70 
34 83 
26.47 
15.85 
12.41 
7.34 
34.67 
28.15 
15.85 
3.57 
8 25 
41 54 
39.24 
2.16 
3 58 
9.02 
41.09(38.24 
2.16 
Sd 
O 3 
a 
: e- 
■’ 3 
= fed 
« S'§ 
3 ® ^ 
-I --3 
O < 3* 
<D *0 
3 2 S' 
1.28 ( 
I.G1 i 
.05 
.41 ( 
1 54 l 
1.60 j 
3.15 
1.5S j 
5.24 ( 
5 91 | 
47.47 
41.47 
55.01 
59.17 
83.93 
These cargoes together show an average of Phosphoric 
Acid equal to 50 per cent of Bone Phosphate of Lime, 
which is sufficient to constitute a valuable fertilizer, es¬ 
pecially since the material is, on the one hand, very fine, 
ly divided, and on the other, contains considerable organ¬ 
ic matter, and Sulphate of Lime, which, being themselves 
easily decomposable or soluble, must leave the Phosphate 
of Lime exposing a great surface to the solvent action of 
the soil water. Simple calculation shows also that in the 
Jarvis Island Guano, by far the largest share of the Phos¬ 
phoric Acid exists in the form of what is commonly called 
neutral Phosphate of Lime, which is characterized by a 
much greater solubility than is possessed by the Bone 
Phosphate. For these reasons this guano must manifest 
greater activity than other guanos which are more com¬ 
pact, and consist mainly of Bone Phosphate of Lime.... 
SAM’L W. JOHNSON, Prof, of Analytical 
and Agricultural Chemistry, Yale College. 
Probably Prof. Johnson designed the above 
simply as a professional private business letter ; 
he should have stated the results differently, if for 
the general reader. The second column, “ Organic 
matter and combined water,” gives no valuable 
information. We are left in entire doubt as to how 
much of it is “ combined water,” and how much 
is “ organic matter.” So also, we have no indi¬ 
cation whether the organic matter is simply use¬ 
less or nearly useless carbonaceous material, or 
whether it contains an appreciable amount of 
useful nitrogenous compounds. 
We have confidence in Prof. Johnson’s skill 
and integrity as an analytical chemist, but we 
must differ with him in regard to the value he 
attaches to these guanos, and to phosphoric acid 
generally. He estimates soluble phosphoric acid 
as worth 12^ cents per lb., and the insoluble, at 
cents per lb Upon this basis the “ Sombrero 
guano ” imported into southeastern Connecticut 
quite largely, was estimated to he worth over 830 
per tun. Many of the farmers who bought it upon 
this estimate, and have tried it, would not now 
buy it at any price. 
Prof. Johnson, very guardedly says above: 
“Simple calculation shows, etc." Hut we think these 
calculated values of phosphoric acid are not to 
lie depended upon in estimating its real value 
as a fertilizer. If the phosphoric acid in Pe¬ 
ruvian guano really constitutes the estimated 
part of the value of that material, then we ad¬ 
mit the calculated value of phosphoric acid in 
other fertilizers; but wc attribute the beneficial 
effects of Peruvian guano, bones, etc, mainly to 
the organic matters, and especially to the am¬ 
monia they contain. 
The above analyses show the elements of a 
notable amount of sulphate of lime (plaster of 
Paris) in the first four specimens. This is high¬ 
ly valuable upon some soils and crops, while on 
others it is neap'" a-’ cute useless. We have 
seen surprising results from the use of only 200 
lbs. of plaster to the acre And here is another 
mode of accounting for the occasional good re¬ 
sults obtained last season from the American 
guano. The use of 300 to 600 lbs. of this to the 
acre, would furnish plaster enough to alone give 
good results in some cases. But farmers can 
not afford to buy plaster in the form of American 
guano at 830 to 840 per tun, when the simple 
unmixed plaster is abundant at 86 to $10 per tun. 
To sum up : the American guano is recomend- 
ed and sold mainly as a fertilizer abounding in 
phosphoric acid, and this in our opinion is of only 
moderate value at best*—not enough so, to at all 
warrant its importation from the Pacific Ocean. 
Good results have sometimes been obtained by 
the use of the American Guano, especially where 
it has chanced to contain abundant organic mat¬ 
ter, and also where it has been used freely enough 
to supply plaster to the soil. But the results 
have not been uniformly good by any means, and 
the present importations do not contain organic 
matter enough to be taken largely into account 
in estimating their value. Therefore, basing our 
opinions in part upon the considerations stated 
above, and in part upon the reports of the results 
of its use thus far, we are reluctantly forced to 
answer those asking our opinion, that we can not 
advise farmers to purchase the American guano 
in quantity, until something is offered of differ¬ 
ent general character and composition from that 
now’ sold. Limited quantities of it may be tried 
by the side of other fertilizers. 
* There is one view of the value of soluble phosphoric acid 
which we have not seen stated, viz: that like other acids 
it may act as an absorber or retainer of ammonia, and so 
far it may be valuable to soils ; and this may account for 
the good results obtained from the use of the soluble 
phosphates. But in any form in which phosphoric acid 
is accessible, it costs vastly more than sulphuric acid 
which is a notable “fixer” or retainer of ammonia. 
- os - ■ Tg -g^e rn -- 
“What Manures Shall I Buy ?” 
“If you do not advise to use the manufactured 
super-phosphates, or the manipulated guanos, or 
the Sombrero, in short, any of these mineral fer¬ 
tilizers, pray tell us what manure we shall buy 1 ” 
Perhaps you need not buy any. If on the 
better class of prairie, or on other lands where 
there is plenty of vegetable mold upon the sur¬ 
face, then a good plow and a good harrow, to 
break up and pulverize the surface well, so that 
the air may have free access to decompose the 
organic matter, may be the best “ manuring ” you 
can give this year. An application of alkali, in 
the form of ashes or lime, mingled with the soil, 
is frequently good to remove sourness, and hasten 
the decomposition of the organic materials, and 
prepare them to feed the plants. Alkalies are good 
on all cold, wet, or sour lands, wherever located. 
On the poorer lands, especially in the older 
sections of the country, get the best organic ma¬ 
nures that are accessible. Good stable manure 
is always the best, and usually the cheapest, 
where it is to be had. Next to this we esteem 
finely ground unburned hones—not so much for the 
phosphoric acid they contain, as for their organic 
matter. We have this Spring bought of Messrs. 
A. Lister & Go., of Tarrytown, N. Y., IJ tuns of 
dry bone saw-dust, for 1) acres of ground which 
we wish to cultivate very highly. (We mention 
this to show that we ‘practice what we preach.’) 
Next to unburned bones we esteem pure Pe¬ 
ruvian guano, the kind that costs 860 per tun— 
not the “ manipulated,” nor the “ No. 2,” which 
is sold at a less price, after going through some 
process of reduction. This, sown in the drill 
at the rate of 100 to 500 lbs. per acre, and 
well harrowed into the surface, or scattered as 
a top-dressing, is usually a paying application. 
The amount per acre depends upon the poor¬ 
ness of the soil. For high culture, as in gardens, 
600 lbs. or more per acre will not he amiss. 
Next to Peruvian guano, try—well, wc hardly 
know what to recommend, for there is little else 
in market always worth buying at the price asked, 
and the transportation. There are several Varie¬ 
ties of animal compounds, made in limited quan¬ 
tities, which are sometimes cheap at the prices 
asked for them, and sometimes not. We hardly 
dare recommend them for general use. Among 
them are : the blood and wool manure, when 
purely blood and wool, and not mixed up with 
sand ; the poudrettes, when not too liberally com¬ 
pounded with muck, and when the excrements, 
from which they are made, have not been taken 
from cess-pools where a constant flow of wa¬ 
ter has washed out the most valuable portions. 
A fuller description of the fertilizers above allud¬ 
ed to, and others, will be given in the regular 
chapters upon manure. 
--» --«=»® R—-» -- 
Letter from Timothy Bunker, Esq. 
JAKE FRINK SOLD. 
Mr Editor : The Spring work came on so 
sudden, that I did’ntget time to say anything 
about Hookertown folks, last month, and now I 
would’nt say a word, if it were not for fear that 
other folks would get taken in just as bad as 
neighbor Frink. You needn’t think that Jake’s 
body has been put up at auction; hut, what is about 
as bad, his wits have been in the market, and 
gone to the highest bidder. Now, you see, we 
have got our full share of poor land up here in 
Connecticut, and of all the land in these parts, 
Jake Frink’s is about the poorest. He has a lot 
of twenty acres, lying up towards the Whiteoaks, 
a poor worn out sheep pasture, not worth to ex¬ 
ceed five dollars an acre. He bought it a dozen 
years ago, and gave a hundred dollars for the lot, 
and it has not improved any under his cultiva¬ 
tion. All he has ever done for it, has been to plow 
up occasionally a patch of it for buckwheat, or for 
rye. The rest of the time it has been pastured 
with sheep. It is a light, sandy loam, bearing a 
plenty of five fingers, and mullen, and a little red 
top, with other wild grasses. Jake was upon this 
piece of land last Summer, plowing for buck¬ 
wheat, when a fellow came along in a fine car¬ 
riage, with’a span, and inquired for Mr. Frink— 
Jacob Frink, Esq , he called him. As Jake tells 
the story, he was considerably elevated, to hear a 
well dressed city gentleman calling him “Esq.” 
« So I holler’d whoa to eld Buck and Bright, 
and axed him what his name might be, and where 
he was from, And he said 
“ I’m Mr. Smith, the senior partner in the firm 
of Smith, Stubbs, Darby & Co., of Philadelphia, 
proprietors of the patent for the improved, impe¬ 
rial, nitrogenized Tafeu.” 
“ Wall now, I’m Jake Frink, and nothing else, 
and don’t know enny thing but English, and not 
much of that. I don’t know what Tafeu is, never 
heard of it.” 
“ Just so, Esq. Frink, I should think from the 
looks of this field, that you were a stranger to the 
most remarkable manure ever invented for the 
improvement of the soil.” 
“ Oh 1 it’s a manure, is it 1” 
“ Yes, sir-cc, a wonderful fertilizer, that will 
grow forty bushels of wheat to the acre, one hun¬ 
dred of corn, and from three to four hundred of 
potatoes. It is great on grass, bringing up such 
poor sandy land as this to a production of four 
tuns of hay to the acre. It has the happiest in¬ 
fluence upon fruit trees, making the wood grow 
