Guano: A Treatise of Practical Information for FarmersRobinson, Solon
Science
Guano: A Treatise of Practical Information for Farmers
Robinson, Solon
Guano
_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 grass. If not to be followed
with grass, we would use a much less quantity; 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 grass."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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