Guano: A Treatise of Practical Information for FarmersRobinson, Solon
Science
Guano: A Treatise of Practical Information for Farmers
Robinson, Solon
Guano
If our correspondent would _mix_, in the proportion of 200 lbs. of
_guano_, one bushel of _charcoal_, and half a bushel of plaster per
acre, and sow the mixture on his wheat field next spring, after the
frost is entirely out of the ground, then seed each acre with clover
seed, and roll his land, we have no doubt that his wheat crop would be
increased five or six bushels to the acre, perhaps more, and that he
would have a good stand of clover plants, and a luxuriant crop of the
latter next year.
"Our opinion is, that _guanoed_ land should always be sowed to clover, or
clover and orchard grass."
In this, particularly the opinion of the last paragraph, we fully
concur--to obtain the full value of guano it must either be mixed with
plaster or charcoal, or what is better, plowed in and thoroughly
incorporated with the soil, and the land always sown with clover, peas
or some other plant of equal value for green manure. It is true Col.
Carter has been successful with wheat after wheat; while many continue
successful, by carefully retaining all the straw; the guano being
sufficient to keep up the everlasting ability of the soil to produce an
annual crop of grain.
THE FIVE FIELD SYSTEM AND GUANO.
We look upon this as the most preferable of all other systems of farming
ever adopted in the South--it is the system of Edmund Ruffin, to whom
Virginia owes a debt of gratitude beyond her power to pay. It will be
seen from the following extract from a letter of Mr. Newton that that
eminent agriculturist is of opinion that improvement of poor land is
unlimited, if guano in connection with this system is perseveringly
applied. He says--"The "five field System," which is now rapidly extending
over all the poor and worn lands that are now under improvement by marl,
lime, or guano, originated, or at least was first extensively
introduced in lower Virginia, on the Pamunkey, and has there wrought
wonders, aided by marl and judicious farming. The rotation is
corn,--wheat,--clover--wheat, or clover fallow,--and pasture, and after
pasture one year, commencing the round again with corn. This system, if
guano be applied to both crops of wheat, on corn land and fallow, or
alternately with lime or marl, when calcareous manures are required,
will readily increase the crops and permanent improvement of the land.
In the commencement of the rotation, lime had better be applied with the
putrescent manures to the corn crop, to be followed by guano on wheat.
If this system be perseveringly, pursued, I can scarcely see any
reasonable limits to the improvement of poor lands and the increase of
the profits of agriculture."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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