March 23. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
393 
! 
the excrement daily was from three-and-a-halfto five ounces. 
I have uo doubt that when the bird is in a state of freedom 
the weight must be much greater, for these birds are con¬ 
stantly plunging into the sea, in order to devour the fishes 
which they find in extraordinary masses around all the 
islands. When an island is inhabited by millions of sea¬ 
birds, though two-thirds of the guano should be lost while 
flying, still a very considerable stratum would be accumulated 
in the course of a year. 
“ The marine birds nestle on the uninhabited islands, or 
on rocks near the shore; but they never settle on the flat 
beach, or any place distant from it inland. On this fact, I 
ground my conjecture that those beds of guano in the in¬ 
terior, which may have been removed from the shore by 
important elevations of the coast, are to be found only on 
hills. 
“ During the first year of the deposit the strata are white, 
and the guano 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 Hormillos, on the islands of 
Islay, Jesus, Margarita, &o. 
“ As soon as the dealers in guano begin to work one of 
the beds, the island on which it is formed is abandoned by 
the birds. It has also been remarked, that since the increase 
of trade and navigation, they have withdrawn from the 
islands in the neighbourhood of the ports. 
“ -Much has recently been written on the employment and 
utility of guano ; but the manner in which it is applied as 
manure in Peru seems to be but little known. The Peru- 
vians use it chiefly in the cultivation of maize and potatoes. 
A few weeks after the seeds begin to shoot, a little hollow 
is dug round each root, and is filled up with guano, which is i 
afterwards covered with a layer of earth. After the lapse of 
twelve or fifteen 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 would 
be destroyed. The effect of this manure is incredibly rapid. 
In a few days the growth of a plant is doubled. If the 
manure be repeated a second time, but in smaller quantity, 
a rich harvest is certain; at least, the produce will be three¬ 
fold that which would have been obtained fron the unma¬ 
nured soil. 
“ The haciendas of the valley of Chancay have, during 
the last fifty years, consumed annually from 33,000 to 36,000 
bushels of guano, brought from the islands of Chancha and 
Pisco. The price of the bushel of coloured guano is one 
dollar- and-a-quarter, and the price of the white from two to 
three dollars. The price has recently undergone many 
fluctuations, in consequence of the great exports to Europe. 
“ The employment of this kind of manure is very ancient 
in Peru ; and there is authentic evidence of its having been 
used in the time of the Incas. The white guano was then j 
chiefly found ou the islands opposite toChincha; so that for 
upwards of 600 years the deposit has been progressively 
removed from those islands without any apparent decrease i 
of the accumulation. The uniformity of climate on a coast j 
where there is not much rain, must contribute to render the 
Peruvian guano a more rich manure than the African, as 
fewer of the saline particles of the former being in solution, 
they are consequently less subject to evaporation.” 
Continuing the publication of such information relative 
to garden implements and structures as we receive in 
answer to our request, we come next to the following. 
The first is from a gentleman, near Northampton, 
who writes thus:— 
“ The following is a sketch of a gardening implement which 
I recollect to have seen some years ago in constant use, for 
transplanting, taking up plants for potting, Ac., in the garden 
of a relative, resident at Warwick. As it has never come 
under my notice elsewhere, perhaps a description of it may 
be serviceable to some of your readers who have many 
small things to transplant in the course of the season. It 
consisted of a hollow cylinder (A), open at both ends, of thin 
iron, affixed to a common spade handle by an iron shank, 
which was divided into two parts below, and riveted to the 
opposite sides of the cylinder. Within 
the cylinder, and fitting it closely, a nar¬ 
row iron rim (B), worked up and down 
by means of a slender rod (D), carried 
up the spade handle, and kept straight 
with it by a couple of small staples. 
This implement was made of various sizes 
suitable to those of the flower-pots in 
common use. When placed round a plant 
it was pressed into the ground, by apply¬ 
ing the foot at E, and a slight twist having 
been given to the instrument, the plant 
could be lifted and carried to any part 
of the garden, to be placed, by pressing 
down the moveable rim (B), in a hole of 
exactly the same size prepared for it by 
a like process. Thus the roots of the 
plant were not disturbed in the least 
degree, while all derangement of the 
neatness of a flower-bed was avoided, 
and a considerable amount of trouble 
and time saved—no unimportant consi¬ 
deration in the busy time of spring and 
summer.” 
The next implement we commend heartily, and the 
more so because it is within the means of many, for it 
will be seen by an advertisement in our last number, 
that the inventor (Mr. G. Gotch, 13, King-street-terrace, 
New North-road, Islington) sells them for 3s. (id. each. 
“ The useful invention accompanying this note is one of 
Gotch’s Patent Flower-pot Protectors for Windows. It is well 
adapted to suit the middle classes, and one which I think 
the great mass of the people will avail themselves of. I so 
think from my knowledge of the many thousands who are 
pent up in cities and large manufacturing towns, that can¬ 
not get the sight of a flower, or even a green blade of grass, 
from one week’s end to another, and who would gladly avail 
themselves of the opportunity of having a few flower-pots at 
their windows. Now, as in the case of London, such town- 
prisoners are prevented having such pets by a 40s. penalty, 
and by the fear of having the flower-pots blown into the 
street, to the imminent danger of passers-by. It will readily 
be seen that this danger and difficulty are at once overcome 
by Mr. Gotch’s invention, for while the pots are held secure 
in the window-sill, the heads of passengers in the street are 
protected from danger. Thus aided, the hard-working me 
chanic can, in his leisure half-hour, relieve his mind from 
the dull monotony of his labour, by attending to the flowers 
growing in liis window, without the fear of offending the law; 
and at such a price as will come within the means of the 
humblest artizan.” 
The last structure we shall mention to-day is the 
Cow Vinery of Mr. Lawson. He found his first house, 
built ou this principle of taking advantage of animal 
heat, answer so satisfactorily, that he is now erecting a 
double one, as represented in this sketch. 
We will only add the following extract from a note 
from Mr. Lawson, and refer those who wish for furthe 
28 Jcci 
