Guano Part 4

_On Turnips_, no manure is equal to guano. The crop has been doubled in numerous instances. Mr. T. says of one experiment he made, "The plants on this portion are now twice as large as those which have not had any.

It is perfectly beautiful to see the luxuriance of all these guanoed vegetables compared with the others."

_On Strawberries_, nothing has ever been applied equal to guano, provided the plants are plentifully watered. The best mode of application is in solution. One pound is enough for ten gallons of water.

_On Cauliflowers._--Two experiments, one with guano, the other with a solution. The first are fine strong plants, particularly one to which I gave a larger share than the other; it is heading finely. But those with the solution are much larger and finer. I have been accustomed to observe the cultivation of this vegetable, and never saw such a luxuriant growth. They are now, (Sept. 15th) beginning to show flower; and, if the season is favorable, I expect the heads will be very fine.

The plants are at least four times larger than those on the same piece without guano, or any manure at all, planted on the same day, from the same seed bed.

_On Rhubarb or Pie Plant_, guano has the most decided beneficial effect, increasing the size, flavor and tenderness of the stalk; besides the very great advantage of bringing it forward some two or three weeks earlier in the spring. Fork it in all over the bed, just as early as the frost will permit, at the rate of 600 lbs. to the acre.

_On Asparagus_, the same treatment will more than double the quant.i.ty of this excellent, healthy vegetable. In the fall, give a dressing of salt equal to 15 or 20 bushels to the acre. With the guano, nothing else need be applied, if it is thoroughly mixed with the soil.

_For Vegetables, Plants, Trees, and Shrubbery generally_, where fruit is an object, apply the guano as above, in powder. Where flowers of rare size and beauty are desired, apply it in solution, or by frequently stirring in small dressings just before a shower. Another important observation on this subject is, that guano, or its solution, should never be applied except at that period of the season when the growth of wood is proper and natural.

_In forcing houses_, nothing can be equal to guano. One thing, it produces no weeds, or insects; this is enough to insure its favor wherever it may be tried.

_On roses_, the beneficial effect is already well known. If tea roses are cut down when the bloom is over, repotted in fresh earth, and well watered twice or thrice a week, with guano water, they will immediately throw out luxuriant shoots, and be covered with their fragrant blossoms.

The cactus tribe will bear a larger quant.i.ty and stronger solution of guano, without injury, than most other plants.

"During the progress of my experiments," says Mr. T., "I have been delighted with the unfailing and extraordinary luxuriance of growth and produce on a miserable spot of land, induced by the use of this manure, and struck with the numerous instances which have come to my knowledge of erroneous applications of it. On a stiff clay, guano would be of little value, except on the surface, or an inch or two deep, unless it were considerably lightened by the addition of sand, or well broken up by exposure, in ridges, to frost, as every clay soil should be. A light, porous, sandy soil would require 300 lbs. Peruvian, or 400 lbs. best Ichaboe; and for this soil I think the Peruvian best adapted, as it retains the ammonia longer, and, being less soluble in water than the Ichaboe, its qualities are not so soon washed out."

In a soil already much enriched with manure, and at the same time abounding in phosphate of lime, I have found the guano to produce less visible effects than on a poor, sandy soil.

Most excellent effects have been produced by steeping seeds in guano water of moderate strength for eight to twelve hours, dependent on the kind of seeds, and then planting with one to three inches soil between the seed and the guano. The steep encourages the growth of the young plant, whose roots, in a more advanced stage, find the guano, which continues the stimulus.

_Quant.i.ty for a Steep._--Put one, one and a half, or two teaspoonfuls of guano, according to quality, in a quart bottle, shake up, and when settled, use; then refill and use two or three times, previous to putting in fresh guano. Or, in the large way, from fifteen to twenty gallons of water to one pound; mix in a barrel, stir up and leave it to settle, taking care, however, to put a cover on, to prevent the escape of ammonia.

DIRECTIONS AS TO QUANt.i.tY AND MANNER OF APPLYING GUANO TO VARIOUS CROPS AND SOILS.

The best action of guano is undoubtedly upon naturally poor or worn out light sandy soils. Next sandy loam--then loam proper--then clayey loam or exhausted gravelly soil, and lastly cold stiff clay, or land naturally wet. Upon the first particularly at the south, it should always be plowed in from four to six inches deep; and will always afford the greatest profit when applied to wheat land and that sown with clover.

_Preparation of guano for use._--Until some ingenious Yankee invents a cheap mill by which he will make a fortune and the lumps be easily ground, the following method may be pursued. Take the bags on the barn floor or in some close room with tight floor and sift the guano over a box, through a 3/8 mesh sieve, putting the fine back in the bags and lumps on the floor. These may be mashed with a stout hoe or shovel, or with a block like a pavier's rammer. Sift and break again until all is fine. Lay the dust with a very slight sprinkle from the nose of a watering pot; of a solution of copperas, at the rate of 10 lbs. to the cwt. of guano, or with plaster or loamy earth--woods mould or dry fine clay. Many persons prefer to mix plaster with the guano in the first instance at the rate of a peck of plaster to a bushel of guano--others use an equal weight of each. Where plaster is not to be had, from five to ten bushels of pulverized charcoal or dust from the coal pit, or pulverized peat, to each hundred weight of guano may be used to fix the ammonia and prevent loss. Sulphuric acid 1 lb. to 10 of water, with which to sprinkle the ma.s.s may be used as a fixer. But if it is kept in the bags, in a dry room, until ready for use, and then prepared, sown and plowed in at once with as little exposure to the air as possible, very little of the ammonia will escape. The true axiom to be observed in the use of guano, is to plow it in as soon as possible after it is sown and before it is moistened with dew or rain; and to plow it in deep, or in some way thoroughly incorporate it with the soil, so that rains will not wash it away, or hot suns.h.i.+ne cause it to evaporate. We hold all top-dressings with guano, to be wasteful, on account of its volatile character, and because it needs the moisture in the earth to fit the substance of which it is composed so its fertilizing properties can be taken up by the roots of the plants. If spread upon the surface, it must wait for a dissolving shower to carry it down to the roots; in the meantime, it is moistened by dews and evaporated by the sun, and carried off to enrich your neighbor's crops half as much as your own.

_Preparing Land and Sowing._--When ready to plow the land for wheat, measure an acre and lay it off in lands 18 feet wide; put the guano in a pail and walk up one side and down the other with a moderate step throwing handfulls across at each step, and you will find you do not vary much from two hundred pounds to the acre. Never sow in a windy day if it can be avoided, nor faster than it can be plowed in the same day.

_To prevent guano from getting into the mouth and nostrils._--Take a thin piece of sponge and wet it and tie over the mouth and nose.

Whenever the dust acc.u.mulates, wash it out. If you must sow while the wind is blowing, mix earth enough with guano to prevent blowing away.

_Depth it should be plowed in._--On light sandy land, there is no danger of its ever being plowed in too deep. On sandy loam, it ought to be plowed under at least six inches--eight inches would be better. On true loam, a less depth will answer, though we are strong advocates of deep plowing. On clayey loam, four inches will answer, and on clay, particularly in the Northern States, if well harrowed or put in with the cultivator, there will be no great loss of ammonia, as the clay is a great absorber of that volatile substance. This rule may in general be observed; upon the light lands of the south, it cannot be too deeply buried; in the clay lands, or in the more heavy, cold, or moist lands of the north, it may be covered too deep to benefit the first crop; but, if the after cultivation is good, whatever is planted will be sure to be benefitted. Upon granite soils, it will be of less value than silicious or aluminous ones. Though most valuable on poor sandy or worn out old fields like those of Virginia, already described, still it must not be rejected by the owner of any land which can be improved by manure, because this is a manure of the very best and most concentrated kind; containing more of the ingredients necessary to promote vegetable growth, in the exact proportion and combination, ready prepared for use, than any other substance in the known world. It is a fertilizing substance which none will reject who once learn its value, unless very deeply prejudiced. It is idle to reject it because the Peruvian Government wont let us have it at our own price, because we can profit by it at theirs. It is nonsense to say, it will answer in the moist climate of England, but not in our dry one. Truth deduced from experience, in several States, in various climates and soils, refutes all such sayings. Besides, it has been used with continued success in the burning sun and soils of Peru, ever since the conquest by the Spaniards, and, according to tradition for ages untold previous to that time.

_Guano on Wheat._--We repeat, sow broadcast and plow in upon all light lands, _deep_; at the rate of 200 to 600 lbs. to the acre, as you can afford, or as the land requires--we believe in the small quant.i.ty and repeat the next sowing, to be by far the most judicious. On heavy lands you may harrow or cultivate it in, but the plow is better. It will do well on lands previously limed, but should never be mixed with lime or ashes, unless mixed with plaster or charcoal. If you must use it as a top dressing in the spring, mix a bushel of plaster with every hundred of guano, sow and harrow in--don't be afraid of injuring the wheat Always sow clover or gra.s.s on guanoed grain.

_On Indian Corn._--Follow the same directions as for wheat, or if the land is already rich, and you wish to give the corn an early start, scatter at the rate of 100 to 200 lbs. guano in the furrow, and cover it two inches deep with another furrow and then drill the corn. Be sure and never let the seed come in contact with the guano, or you will kill it most certainly. Guanoed corn should be sowed in wheat, particularly whenever it has been dressed with a large quant.i.ty.

_To growing Corn_, if it is desirable to apply it, turn a furrow away from the row on each side and scatter in the bottom at the rate of 300 lbs. per acre, and turn back the earth immediately.

_Green Corn_--roasting ears--are improved in taste by guano beyond anything ever conceived of by the lovers of this luscious food.

_Quant.i.ty per acre._--Thomas S. Pleasants of Petersburg, Va., a well-known writer upon agriculture, and who has had much practical experience ever since the first introduction of guano into this country, says:--"_Corn_ is a gross feeder and will take up a greater quant.i.ty of guano than perhaps any other crop. I have known as much as 600 lbs.

applied to the acre and the product was in proportion. Each hundred pounds will give an average product of ten bushels as various experiments have proved From the above mentioned application of 600 lbs.

a product of 73 bushels was obtained, which left 13 bushels as the product of the soil alone. For corn, guano may be spread broadcast on the land and ploughed in as deeply as it is desirable to break the soil; or it may be strewed along deep furrows to be afterwards ridged over and the cultivation to be in only one direction. The best result I ever obtained was from this latter mode, when from land not capable of producing five bushels, I harvested a crop that could not have been less than 35 bushels to the acre.

"The furrows were opened deep and wide by pa.s.sing the plow both ways and the guano strewed along these at the rate 1 lb. per every ten yards.

They were then covered over and the land thereby thrown into beds. But in whatever way it is used, the roots of the corn will be sure to find it all, and between these two modes, I think there is little or no choice. I would certainly advise against putting it in the hill, though I have sometimes seen good results. It is difficult, however, in such a case, to prevent the guano and seed from coming into close contact; and, unless there are two or three inches of earth interposed between them the seed will be certainly destroyed."

_For wheat_, the guano should be spread broadcast at the time of seeding the wheat, at the rate of 200 lbs. to 250 lbs. per acre and ploughed in. If the land has been previously fallowed, it will be sufficient to plow it in with a one horse plow; if broken up for the first time, there will be no objection to using a larger plough. The best depth for getting it in, however, is, I think, from four to six inches. It always acts more powerfully on clean land; indeed if there is much crude vegetable matter in the soil, there is frequently little or no advantage derived from its application. Experience, therefore goes to show that the most economical application is to corn land; that is, to land that has just produced a crop of corn, no matter how poor it may be. If it is intended to be put on land that has been lying in gra.s.s, it would be advisable to fallow it as early in the season as practicable, and afterwards to get it in with a small plow as already suggested.

The same direction will apply to oats and also to rye. But for oats, 125 to 150 lbs of guano will be as much as can be used to advantage.

A. B. Allen of New York, one of the earliest, and most strenuous advocates of using guano, who, long before he ever thought of being engaged in its sale, used to distribute small parcels among farmers and gardeners to enable them to try experiments and learn its value, in a letter to the Southern Cultivator, says:--"Never put guano in the hill with corn, no matter if covered two or three inches deep; for the roots will be certain to find it, and so sure as they touch the guano, so caustic is it, that it will certainly kill the corn; the same with peas, beans, melon vines, in fact most vegetable crops. Wheat and other small grains have so many roots, and tiller so well, there is no danger of guano killing them, when sown directly with the seed. Still, as before remarked, it is better to plough it in before sowing the seed.

"After corn is up, you may apply a table spoonful, at the first time hoeing; dig it an inch or two deep six inches from each stalk. A table spoonful to the hill will take 250 to 350 lbs., per acre, according to the distance the hills are apart. If the soil be rather poor, a second dose at the time the corn first shows its silk, will add considerably to the yield in grain, if followed by rains, but little or nothing to the growth of stalk. Guano increases the size of grain more than stalks; hence one must be content to wait till the grain is fully matured before giving an opinion of the virtues of guano.

"Before applying the guano, it is better to mix it well with an equal quant.i.ty of plaster of Paris or charcoal dust. Either of these substances help to retain the ammonia and prevent its evaporation.

"The genuine unadulterated Peruvian guano, is so much superior to any other kind, it is in reality the _cheapest_, though the price is considerable higher than that of the other qualities."

_Guano on Oats._--Mr. Allen says, "I am satisfied from experience and observation in the use of guano, for the past twelve years, that the best method, decidedly, of applying it to crops in our dry climate, is to plow or spade it into the ground; and autumn is the best time for doing this, as it gives time for the pungent salts contained in the guano, to get thoroughly mixed with the soil before spring planting. Do not fear to loose the guano by plowing it in as deep as you please--it will not run away, depend upon it. At the south, it loses half its virtue if not plowed in at least three inches deep; six or twelve inches would be still better."

Because "autumn is, for many reasons, the best season" for applying guano, as a general thing, we do not recommend an application to this crop, notwithstanding our full conviction it will increase the product upon any light, poor soil, from ten to twenty bushels to the acre, for each cwt. applied. As some however, will find it more convenient and profitable to manure the oat than wheat crop, we recommend them to plow in from 200 to 300 lbs. to the acre, on ground that was clean tilled the previous year, and sow the oats in drills, three or four bushels to the acre and seed with clover, herds, or ray gra.s.s. If not to be followed with gra.s.s, we would use a much less quant.i.ty; say 125 or 150 lbs. to the acre. As may be seen in the account of Mr. Harris' crop, not one half of the 400 lbs. was taken up by the oats. With wheat, on the contrary, the guano is dissolved more slowly by winter rains, giving the crop a vigorous growth in fall, and sometimes all winter, so it sends out double the number of stalks in spring. The sun too, is so much less powerful at that season, evaporation does not take place so easily as in summer.

_Great Crops from Guano._--In England, 48 bushels of wheat and 100 of oats have been made from an acre dressed with 200 lbs. of guano. A late English writer, in detailing his own experiments, and urging others to the same course, says; "The reason guano is serviceable to all plants arises from its containing every saline and organic matter required as food. It is used beneficially on all soils; for, as it contains every element necessary to plants, it is independent of the quality of the soil. So far as the experiments in England and Scotland may be adduced, one cwt. of guano is equal to about five tons of farm-yard manure, on an average; but it is much higher for turnips than for gra.s.s."

_Guano on Gra.s.s._--As we are opposed to using it as a top dressing, of course we shall not recommend its application to this crop. Generally, by using it on wheat and other crops, the farmer will save manure enough to top dress his meadows. Nevertheless, in combination with proper ingredients, we do say it is a good and profitable manure for gra.s.s. For each acre mix from 200 to 400 lbs. with as many bushels of plaster, or ten to one of charcoal, or twenty to one of dry swamp muck or peat, woods mould or fine clay, and sow upon the meadow or pasture early in spring. If the season is moist, the benefit will be very great; if dry, it will probably be said, as it has been before; "Oh, this guano is good for nothing--I tried it once on gra.s.s and it never done a bit of good."

_On potatoes_, 400 lbs. to the acre, broadcast, may be used to good advantage, if it is plowed in deep enough, on clean land. As it is a caustic manure, and requires a good deal of moisture, as well as potatoes, it is not suitable for the hill or surface dressing. A less quant.i.ty will pay a greater profit to the immediate crop, without much after benefit, if it is drilled in the bottom of a deep furrow and then covered by turning two furrows, one from each side, so as to leave a slight depression between them, and directly over the guano. Upon these beds plant the tubers in drills. After hoeing, scatter a mixture of equal parts of lime, salt, ashes and plaster, a large handful every yard, all over the rows, and we will warrant the crop free from the potato rot.

_On turnips_, nothing can exceed guano, unless the phosphate of lime in bones could be rendered equally pulverulent. Use 3 to 600 lbs. per acre, and plow it in at the last plowing, and top dress with five bushels of ashes and two of salt as soon as the turnips are up. Follow with wheat or rye and gra.s.s. One half the above quant.i.ty and five bushels of bone dust dissolved in sulphuric acid, will produce a wonderful crop of turnips, or ruta bagas. Guano may be used to equal advantage upon all kinds of root crops.

_Benefits to the Dairy Farmer._--The beneficial use of guano in the manufacture of b.u.t.ter and cheese, is unquestionable. In many districts in England, and in some in this country, the continual cropping of gra.s.s and conversion of it into cheese, has so exhausted the soil of its phosphates, the milk will no longer produce the quant.i.ty of casein necessary to make cheese making profitable. When this is the case, you will find the cows seeking to supply the deficiency by eating bones.

Wherever guano has been used upon pasture land, it is found that cows eat the increased luxuriant gra.s.s most greedily, and improve not only in quant.i.ty but quality of their milk. We cannot, therefore, recommend too earnestly, to all dairy farmers, to give their pasture lands an immediate dressing of guano. If you have not full faith in what we are telling you, try an experiment for yourself. Mix 200 or 300 lbs. of guano with two or three bushels of plaster, and that with two or three loads of charcoal dust from the bottom of some coal pit, or from burnt peat, or swamp muck; or, if the charcoal is not attainable, use woods mold, or powdered clay or fine loam, to any extent you can afford; and if you can afford nothing but the guano and plaster, don't fail to afford a dressing of that, because it will afford you a rich return. No other manure can be used upon pasture land, to produce the same effect.

Cattle never reject the gra.s.s of guanoed land, as they do that lately manured.

_On Flax._--Experiments in England have proved guano superior to any other substance ever applied to this crop. With the aid of this manure, farmers will never complain of flax exhausting the soil. With 300 lbs.

per acre, successive large crops can be grown upon the same ground. It should be plowed in, but not so deeply as for some other crops, as it is not expected to benefit succeeding ones as much as the present. As soon as the "flax cotton" movement now progressing is fully understood, there will be immense fields of flax grown for that purpose, and the best and most economical fertilizing material, and for which there will be a large demand, will be Peruvian guano; for no good farmer will attempt to grow a crop without it. A top dressing of 25 or 30 bushels of ashes to the acre will be found beneficial; but farmers ought to try which is best, more guano and less or no ashes, or the reverse. We cannot advise rotation with this crop, where guano is used, because the ground becomes so clean and free from weeds, it is of great advantage, and so far as we are informed, continuous good crops result from the annual application of the same quant.i.ty of guano, year after year.

_On Cabbages._--Field culture. After the ground is well prepared, lay it off in checks three to four feet square. With a spade, throw out a deep spit at each check and put in a spoonful of guano, or at the rate of 400 lbs. per acre, and cover with soil. Set the plants immediately and water if possible. After the first hoeing, throw a handful of ashes on each plant.

_For Carrots, Beets and Parsnips_, plow in 500 lbs. per acre, twelve to eighteen inches deep. Top dress with ashes, salt, and fine manure in compost, to a.s.sist the young plants; the long roots will find the guano and it will produce such a crop as you never saw before.

_On Hops._--Make a mixture of three cwt. of guano, one of salt, one and a half of saltpetre, and one of gypsum, for each acre; sow broadcast and plow in about four inches deep, and you will find your manure well paid for, and no exhaustion of the soil, as is usually the case wherever this crop is cultivated, as it is a very gross feeder, and requires very rich land or great deal of manure; for which reason it is not as much cultivated as it will be as soon as the virtues of the above application become fully known.

_For Tobacco_, guano has been found to possess superior qualities, particularly in obviating the difficulty heretofore experienced in getting plants sufficiently early. We have the testimony of several witnesses to prove that burning a seed bed is quite unnecessary, if guano at the rate of 400 to 600 lbs. to the acre be mixed with an equal amount of ashes, and plaster and well raked in previous to sowing. Of the effect upon the crop, we give the testimony of a Virginia planter.

"In the spring of 1850, I applied 200 lbs. to the acre, on eight acres of land, which had been manured three years before for tobacco, and the same quant.i.ty, on three acres which had never been manured, and was very poor. On the last I also turned in some half rotted straw, raked up in the barn yard, after all the farm yard manure had been hauled out.

Between these two pieces of land, 19 acres were heavily manured. The whole 30 acres had been well broken with four horses, early in the winter. The last year was the worst I have ever known for tobacco.

Nevertheless, the first eight acres produced a very fine crop--the last three acres brought much better tobacco than the adjoining manured land, I should say not less than 600 lbs. to the acre."

_Wheat on Guanoed Tobacco Land._--This field was sown with wheat, and the writer says--"I measured from these 30 acres next year upwards of 600 bushels of wheat of very fine quality; both pieces of guanoed land being _above_ the average of the whole lot. Adjoining the _three_ acres is an equal quant.i.ty of land of the same quality, which did not yield five bushels to the acre."