Chapter 10

The Peruvian Government are, of course, anxious to sell all that the world want, and are willing to pay for at remunerating prices. The Peruvian minister, in reply to the Secretary of State at Washington says:--"The Peruvian Government, in leasing out its rights and interests, as a proprietor of the article, adopted the only system that was supposed likely to create a demand for guano; while, on the other side, it was bound to leave the consignment as security, in the hands of those persons who had hazarded their capital in meeting the heavy expenses attending the process of freighting, and in making the advances which were required to facilitate the exportation and construct the depots. Far from establishing a selfish monopoly, which would have proved injurious to its own interests, or fix a high, deliberate, and conventional price upon the article, it has only aimed to secure a net profit, reduced to the lowest possible standard, exceeding very little the actual amount of expenses; and there have been accounts of sales rendered exhibiting both loss and damage.

"The guano, therefore, is not monopolized; the government as the proprietor, has forwarded it, on its own responsibility, to those markets where it was in demand; selecting as consignees, as it was natural and proper it should do, those persons or houses who have advanced the capital necessary to defray the expenses; and, as these are much greater in all cases of remittances to England, and it follows that the sale of the article in this country is at the rate of ten pounds sterling per ton, the net profit has been less than what is realized in the United States, where the farmers obtain it at lesser prices. Nor has my government imposed any restrictions, duties, or determinate value on the exportation of guano, although it might and could do so with perfect propriety; because such action would have militated to the detriment of its own interests as the proprietor of the article. Its object has been to send it to those markets where it was in demand; because, as it had not yet become an object of decided and positive interest to the consuming world, and there being no certainty of its attaining saleable prices, to create a market as it was impossible for individuals to send to Peru for supplies, with any prospect of even moderate profit."

This is a fair statement of the case; and ought to be perfectly satisfactory to the consumers. The disposition of some men to create prejudice against the government of Peru, or the agents who sell guano in this country, because the price is too high, is a wicked one. Men can make money by purchasing at the present prices; and the owners of the article think they cannot make it by selling at a lower price. We have heard it urged as a reason why it should be sold at lower prices, that the agents and merchants engaged in its sale are making fortunes. So are flour merchants--so are farmers who grow the wheat--but that is no reason why it should be sold lower.

With all our heart, we wish the Peruvians would give us guano at half price; but because they will not, there is no reason why the people of this country should refuse to use an article which will most assuredly make them grow rich faster than those who are engaged in selling it.

WHAT IS GUANO?--ITS HISTORY AND LOCALITY.--AMOUNT AND VALUE.

Guano is the concentrated essence of fish-eating birds excrements. It, is found in the condition of a dry powder, of a brownish yellow color, not unlike in appearance to Scotch snuff; with a pungent strong smell of ammonia, distinguishing it from any other substance. It is found in various parts of the world, upon desert headlands and islands of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, where the birds have had undisputed possession for countless ages of time. The island of Ichaboe, on the Coast of Africa, furnished a good many cargoes, a few years since, most of which were taken to England; a small supply was imported into the United States, and sold and known as African guano. The quality was fair The deposit upon that island is quite exhausted--in fact it was all carried away within a few months after it became generally known--some of the last cargoes being of little more value than rich earth. It is said that a new deposit, which is nothing more than dry bird dung, has already been gathered and taken to England. No doubt cargoes of similar manure might gathered from the Florida keys; and although it would be a valuable manure, it is not guano--that is formed by the chemical action of a dry atmosphere, during time's long ages.

_Anagamos Guano._--This is also of a character similar to "new Ichaboe." It is rich in ammonia, but contains no lime or sulphuric acid, and less phosphates and alkaline substances than Peruvian, and more sand. The supply of this must be very limited, as it is a recent deposit and has to be gathered by hand from the rocks.

_Bolivian Guano._--This as its name indicates, is from the coast of Bolivia, on the west side of South America. It was thought at one time to be fully equal in value to Peruvian, but some subsequent importations of almost worthless cargoes, have proved the deposit to be very variable in quality, or else purposely adulterated, which has had the effect to destroy confidence in all bearing that name. The belief of the writer is, that it was not adulterated, but owing to the fact that it is found in a latitude where it does sometimes rain, or where it is liable to be drenched by sea spray, that portions of it are injured in that way; so that a ship may have one portion of her cargo of the best kind, while the remainder is hardly worth the freight. The deposit is not large.

_Chilian Guano._--The most of that imported into this country under this name, has been of a very inferior quality, and having been recommended by those interested in its sale, as having come from the same coast as that of Peru, and of equal value, and proving almost worthless, has deterred many from making another trial. Although there is a small supply of Chilian Guano, which is gathered from the rocks in pale yellow masses, some of which has been sent to England and this country, which is equal to any ever discovered in any part of the world, yet the great bulk of the deposit is so inferior that Chilian guano will never meet with universal favor. In fact, some of the stuff which has been sold under that name, is unworthy to be called guano.

_Patagonian Guano._--Of this kind, larger quantities have been imported than any other beside Peruvian; and it has generally been sold at higher prices than its value as a fertilizer would warrant. Owing to the fact of its being deposited in a latitude of sunshine and showers, both of the utmost intensity; it never comprises the valuable qualities always found in that where rain never was known to fall. Besides the deterioration of the elements, samples of some cargoes of this guano have been found to contain upwards of 30 per cent of sand--in one case 38 per cent. It is said, however, that some of the deposits contain considerable quantities of crystalized salts of ammonia, magnesian phosphates, rich in ammonia, but which have been rejected by masters of vessels taking in cargoes, under the supposition of its being sea salt and calculated to injure the sale and value of the guano. It is believed that there is a a larger supply of this than any other guano, except Peruvian, but as no certain reliance can be placed upon its quality or value, it never will be extensively imported into the United States.

_Saldana Bay Guano._--Considerable quantities of guano under this name have been taken to England, and upon land and crops requiring phosphates more than ammonia, has been pronounced a superior article. But the fact is, it is found in a climate similar to the Patagonian, and, consequently, like that, must have a great portion of its ammonia washed out, leaving almost its only value as fertilizer, in its phosphates; which undoubtedly exist in large proportions, but not as cheap as may be procured from other sources. The foregoing comprises all the kinds of guano known in commerce, except the Peruvian, to which we shall devote an entire chapter.

PERUVIAN GUANO--ITS LOCATION--OWNERSHIP--QUANTITY--VALUE--HOW PROCURED.

This is not only the most valuable, but is found in the largest quantities of any other guano known. That which has been sent to this country and England, in such quantities within the last ten years, was taken from the Chincha Islands, which are situated between latitude 13° and 14°, and at about twelve miles from the coast of Peru, in the bay of Pisco. The great value of the Peruvian guano, arises from the fact, _that rain never falls upon the islands where guano is found_. The air is always dry, and the sun shines with intense power, sufficient to evaporate all the juices from flesh, so that meat can be preserved sweet without salt. The waters surrounding these islands may be said to be literally alive, so full are they of fish. Almost as numerous as the fish, are the birds which satisfy their voracious appetites upon this finny multitude, until they can gorge no more, when they retire to the islands to deposit their excrement, composed of the oily flesh and bones of their only food, until the mass which has been accumulating for thousands of years, is so great as almost to exceed human belief.

Humbolt, in his history of South America, states, some of these deposits are 50 or 60 feet thick. Many have thought this the "romance of history," but the actual surveys made by the Peruvian government five or six years ago, have proved that the guano in many places is more than twice that depth; and as there is good reason to believe, and as may be seen by the diagram on page 79, it is probably 300 feet thick in some of the depressions of the natural surface. And this has been accumulated by an annual aggregation, so slow as to be scarcely visible from year to year, until the quantity now exceeds 20,000,000 of tons.

As before stated, the Chincha islands are three in number; the Lobos islands two; these are situated off the north part of the coast of Peru.

If the right of Peru to the guano is to be disputed, let it be done by national vessels and not by armed privateers. If farmers are convinced that we have made true statements of the value of guano in renovating the poor and worn out fields of America, let them purchase at once. The only question to ask is not whether we can go to the Lobos Islands to get guano--nor whether it would be better to buy it of government agents, or speculators on private account, but

DOES GUANO PAY?

Because, if it does pay, that is, if the farmer can buy guano at present prices, and realise an increase of crops more than enough to pay the expense, it does pay. We think we have shown this fact by incontrovertible evidence. If the first crop pays for the guano and no more, the farmer has a certain profit in the improved condition of the land. If the first crop does not pay, the land will be enough better to pay cost. Upon this point, Mr. Mechi, of England, whose name has become world wide known as an improver of the soil, says; "Whether guano will pay, depends upon the condition of the soil. On poor exhausted soil it is a ready and cheap mode of restoring fertility. I used it extensively when I first began farming, and when applied to the grain crops at the rate of two to three cwt. per acre, it paid well; but now it has lost favor with my bailiff, which is easily accounted for; my land being at present so well filled with manure, nitrogen or ammonia, that we can grow ample crops without it. When the land only yielded two to two and a half quarters of wheat per acre, it was grateful for guano; but now, with a produce of five quarters, there is no necessity for its use. Or rather, the increased supply of farm manure supplies that necessity."

This is exactly what we have aimed to impress upon our readers; that it will pay in the crop to which it is applied--it will more than pay in the soil, because it will bring it into a condition of permanent fertility. It will pay best upon the poorest soil; because that which was absolutely barren, becomes fruitful as soon as dressed with guano. It will always pay whenever and wherever applied to any soil in a fit condition to be benefitted by manure. It will make not only the soil rich, but whoever uses it to any considerable extent. It will pay best when used in the condition in which you buy it, with no additional labor or expense except breaking the lumps. If it is sown broadcast, not to exceed 400 lbs. per acre, and plowed in so deep it will not be disturbed by any subsequent cultivation of the crop to which it is applied, it will most certainly pay in that crop or the succeeding one. It will pay upon all plants to which it has ever been applied. Notwithstanding it will pay best _in_ the soil, it will pay well _on_ it as a top dressing, if combined with absorbents of ammonia as directed in these pages.[2] That it has paid in ninety nine cases out of every hundred where it has been used, the author is well convinced, and equally well convinced that many may profit by reading what he has here said upon the subject, and with that feeling, these pages are commended to all the cultivators of American soil.

[Footnote 2: Upon this point, see Mr. Burgwyn's letter in the appendix.]

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APPENDIX.

SUCCESSFUL EXPERIMENTS WITH GUANO ON LONG ISLAND.

Since the body of this work was in type, the following letters have been placed in our hands. They contain so much valuable information we are induced to append them. It will be seen by the dates, that they give the results of the most recent experiments. The names of the writers will be recognized as those of reliable, practical men.

LETTER FROM SETH CHAPMAN ESQ., OF JAMAICA.--700 lbs. of guano to the acre, profitable--Lasting benefits of one application--Advantage of top dressing grass lands with guano--Benefit of guano to all Long Island soil--Great benefit on turnips.

"_Jamaica, L. I., Sept. 13, 1852._

MR. THEO. RILEY, ESQ., Dear Sir:--In reply to your inquiry relative to the use of Peruvian guano on Long Island, I would say, forming my opinion from experience and observation that the mode of tillage--the rotation of crops, and the way of applying guano--are about as follows: Commence with corn, which is usually on green sward, after being mowed and pastured from four to six years. First, plow in the spring as soon as the frost is out of the ground, which is generally about the 20th of March. Prepare the ground for planting the 1st of May, by harrowing well two or three times. Before the last time harrowing, apply about 250 or 300 lbs. of guano to the acre, sown broadcast, and then mark out with plow, or lace, about four and a half feet apart, each way; apply a small quantity to the hill, one third of a gill is as much as will be safe, and that should be in the form of a ring about a foot in diameter, and the corn dropped in the center, otherwise it will be likely to kill the corn by the sprouts coming in contact with the guano when they first start. It will not do to put the guano in the hill and plant the corn upon it. It was not uncommon for farmers to have to plant their corn all over before they become acquainted with its effects; but as using it in the hill, in a pure state, is generally attended with some risk, it is the practice in this vicinity to use yard manure, at the rate of one third or half a shovelful to the hill; but as that manure is generally weak, they have adopted the very excellent plan of sprinkling say 50 lbs. of guano to a wagon load (30 bushels) of manure. As we cart the manure in the fall to the field where it is intended to be used the following spring, (1) the guano can be mixed through it with but little trouble, when it is turned and broken up just before use. It adds very much to the value of the manure, as the difference of harvesting plainly shows. Muck or pond dirt could be used in the same way, in place of manure. Some apply it about the hill at the time of hoeing. It should not be thrown on top, but sprinkled around the corn at the rate of half a gill per hill. After corn, we sow oats, or barley, or plants potatoes; if oats, plow once, sow 150 or 200 lbs. of guano, and two bushels of oats to the acre, and harrow in together. It pays well to use guano for oats, as the crop of oats will be doubled on ordinary lands; 50 and 60 bushels is frequently obtained, and the difference in the straw, is worth the expense of the guano.[2] Barley is not much sown; it would require a little more guano, say 50 lbs. additional. Potatoes, (Mercers) we plant from middle of March to first of May, after sowing broadcast from 400 to 600 lbs. of guano per acre, plowed in and harrowed over; then mark out with plow three feet apart, drop in drills about a foot apart. Some prefer it in the drills, at the rate of what they can grasp in one hand to a pace of two and a half feet; it should be sprinkled so too much will not come in contact with the seed. After oats or potatoes, sow wheat, about first of October; if on oats, plow as soon as the oats are off; when ready to sow, apply from 500 to 700 lbs. of guano per acre, cross plow, and your ground is ready for the seed. As to the varieties of wheat, there are several kinds used; the Mediterranean is the most popular at present--one and a half bushels is generally sown to the acre, and the land laid down to grass, with timothy and clover. Some apply less at time of sowing, and add 100 or 150 lbs. per acre in the spring, just as the grass is starting, say first of April. If wheat is sown after potatoes, about the same treatment is given, except 100 lbs. less guano will answer. Some harrow in guano, instead of plowing it under; but experience shows that it is much the best to plow it in, as the virtue remains in the ground much longer, by being covered deep. Peruvian guano will produce the best wheat of anything we can use, even if we should go to double the expense with other manures. Crops of 30 and sometimes 40 bushels have been obtained to the acre with guano. The average crop of wheat on the Island, is not over 18 bushels per acre, and with 700 lbs. of guano plowed in pretty deep, the land can be mowed about as long as from an application of stable manure. But as hay is a most important crop, after it has been mowed for two or three years, it is considered profitable to top dress with about 150 lbs. per acre; this will increase the crop from one ton to two per acre, if a fair season, and can be mowed two or three years longer. Rye is sown in many instances, in place of wheat; it gets the same treatment, except half the quantity of guano is only used. Buckwheat requires about 100 lbs. of guano to the acre, more or less, according to the state of the land.

For ruta baga turnips, there should be 600 lbs. sown to the acre; plow twice and harrow well after sown. After you have hoed them out, give them a light top dressing of more guano. I have raised at the rate of 700 bushels, managed in that way, to the acre. We have had one of the most extreme drouths the present season I ever remember. Crops on which guano was used, have suffered less, and are now yielding better than where stable manure has been used. This is quite different from the opinion that some have formed, as to guano requiring a wet season. To prepare guano for use, it should first be sifted, to separate the lumps, so that they may be pulverized, then dampen by sprinkling with water, and mixed through with a shovel. This should be done a few days before you wish to use it, so as to allow the dampness to strike through uniform. (3) I have not had any experience with compost, or using it on garden vegetables, or plants, except I know it should be used in homeopathic doses, or it will destroy more than it will produce. As to the soil, guano answers well anywhere on Long Island, although some parts of the Island has a very different soil from others, with one exception; that is, it is all hungry for manure. I therefore do not know the kind of soil it is most applicable to, since it seems to suit all kinds.

SETH CHAPMAN."

NOTE 1. This practice of hauling manure to the field in the fall, is the worst of all the foolish old fashions of farmers. To preserve the virtue, of manure, it requires housing about as much as hay. In fact, it is doubtful which would lose virtue fastest, a pile of hay or a pile of manure, exposed to the storms of winter. It is no wonder that it becomes necessary to mix guano with it, to replace that which has evaporated during its long exposure to sun and storm.

NOTE 2. This increase of straw, is seldom taken into account in speaking of the advantage of an application of guano; yet, as Mr. Chapman says, it is worth enough in the vicinity of a market, to pay the whole expense. It is also valuable in the interior for forage and manure.

NOTE 3. This is an error. Guano should not be damped unless with water saturated with salt, copperas, or a liberal sprinkle of plaster over the pile.

LETTER FROM SETH RAVNOR, OF MANORVILLE TO MR. CHAPMAN.--Successful experiments on grass, oats, corn, wheat and rye.

"_Manorville, Sept._ 8, 1852.

S. CHAPMAN, ESQ.--Dear Sir;--I have received your circular proposing to gather information from practical farmers of the results from the use of guano, and to have the same published for general circulation. Conceiving the object to be a very laudable one, I will give the result of a few experiments tried with Peruvian guano by myself, and others which have come under my observation; but in doing so I think it would be of great utility to state what kind of soil the guano was applied to. Not being a professor of geology, I can only use such terms as are familiar with farmers generally. The soils in this vicinity are heavy loam, sandy loam, sandy, and occasionally some heavy clayey soils.