118 
DEPOSITS OF PHOSPHATE OF E1ME. 
[bull. 
The following tables will show the imports into Great Britain, Ger- 
many, and France : 
Imports into Great Britain (Stockhardt). 
Cwt. 
1844 208,502 
1845 508,600 
1846 1,784,060 
1847 1,647,840 
1848 1,428,280 
1849 1,668,760 
1850 2,338,500 
1851 4,860,280 
1852 2,597,780 
1853 2,463,320 
1854 4,470,222 
1855 
1856 
1857 
1858 
1859 
1860 
1861 
1862 
1863 
1872 
1873 
Cwt. 
101,220 
830,020 
707,240 
07U,820 
682,440 
828,700 
568,460 
832,720 
671,480 
117,089 
184, 921 
Imports into Germany (Aleyn). 1 
1861 
1862 
1863 
1864 
Tons. 
25,000 
30,000 
48,785 
50,699 
Ton? 
1665 59,940 
1866 55,621 
1867 52.413 
1868 73,922 
1869 85,233 
Imports into France (Alcyn).' 
Tons. 
1857 52,000 
1858 38,000 
1859 33,000 
1860 40,000 
1861 38,000 
1862 
1863 
1864 
1865 
1866 
Tons. 
415,000 
68,000 
69,000 
47,000 
57,000 
The deposits of guano are found mostly on the islands on the coast of 
Peru and Bolivia. They are also found on the mainland, but these are 
not so large as those on the islands. The deposits consist of the excre- 
ments of flamingoes, divers, penguins, and other sea fowls, mixed with 
the carcasses of these birds, as well as those of seals, sea-lions, and other 
marine animals, which inhabit these seas in vast numbers. The guano 
is generally pulverulent on the surface, but becomes compact at a depth. 
It is in some places over a hundred feet in thickness, and is white to 
brown in color. There often occur in it small lumps containing ammonia 
salts, and others containing large quantities of phosphate of lime or silica. 
Gypsum is also abundant in some of the guano beds. The phosphates in 
the guano occur largely as tricalcic, dicalcic, ammonio-magnesic, and 
ammonic phosphates, so that a large part of it is in a very soluble rorm, 
hence its value as plant food. There is also in the guano a soluble base 
called guanine, with the formula C 5 HYN" 5 0. It will thus be seen 
that, though some of the ingredients of guano are insoluble, others are 
very soluble, and, for the preservation of such a deposit a very dry 
climate is necessary. The coast of Peru is peculiarly adapted to the 
formation of guano beds, not only on accouut of the absence of rain, but 
J Die naturliclieii Phosphate. 
(592) 
