Guano

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Is there anything so unfair in this, that we should cry out "wicked
monopoly." The Peruvian government, after the revolution, finds itself
deeply in debt, and greatly in want of money, and in possession of one
of the most valuable fertilizing substances in the world, which the
people of other governments are in want of, or rather, may profit by the
use of, which she offers to sell at what she deems a fair price; and for
the purpose of enabling her to borrow money for immediate necessities,
as well as to pay the war debt, she has given some of her citizens--rich
merchants, who can advance money, certain privileges and advantages in
the guano trade, upon condition that they will send a supply to all the
countries where it can be sold, and in as great quantities as they will
buy at fixed prices. This is the monopoly. A parallel case can be found
nearer home. The government of the United States, also incurred a
revolutionary war debt, and also came in possession of an article which
the people of all other countries want, and unlike that possessed by
Peru, an article which they must have. Upon this necessity of life, our
government has fixed a price, which any one may pay or let it alone--buy
or not, just as he pleases. The government will neither sell to citizens
or strangers at half price, nor let them have the use of it without pay;
in fact, will not let us carry away anything of value from this
property, although it might not materially injure the sale of the
principal and most valuable portion, which is immovable. Such is the
"guano monopoly" of one government, and such is the "land monopoly" of
the other. Which is most wicked?

Of the right of each government, no honest man will dispute. That Peru
has as much right to the guano upon her desert islands, as the United
States has to the live oak timber in the deserts of Florida; or as
England has to the codfish in the waters of Newfoundland, seems to be as
clear as any right ever exercised by any power on earth. Each protect
their own by hired agents, so far as they are able, to prevent dishonest
men from carrying away that which each considers valuable.

If English and United States citizens have a right to go and seize upon
the guano and bring it off in defiance of Peru, because the guano
islands are not inhabited, then have we a right to seize all the codfish
in the waters of the sea, because nobody lives there--they cannot live
there--they only live on the lands adjacent, and therefore have no
right to anything except what they stand upon. Then by the same rule
may the lands of the United States be seized upon, because they are
unoccupied.

By virtue of decrees now in force, no vessel, either under the national
or any foreign flag, has a right to go to the Peruvian guano deposits,
without first obtaining permission from the Peruvian Government under
penalty of confiscation.

Foreign vessels, furnished with government licences, are allowed to load
at the Chinche Islands only.

Finally, any attempt to load vessels without the proper licences, would
subject them to be seized by the Government vessels appointed to cruise
off, and visit the different guano deposits, in order to prevent not
only the illegal extraction of guano by foreign trading vessels, but
also to prevent the natives of Peru from violating the Government orders
against visiting those localities, and destroying or disturbing the
birds.

Notwithstanding this cuts off the free trade in the article, it goes to
show what we have always endeavored to impress upon the minds of
American farmers, that the supply is inexhaustible--at least in this age
and generation--and as every one grows wiser and wiser, it is probable
the next will have no occasion to use such an old fashioned article as
bird dung for manure. During the present, however, our advice is to
every person occupying land which needs something to improve its
fertility, to use guano--genuine Peruvian guano--purchased of reliable
merchants--and the fewer the better between the importer and consumer.

_The Quantity inexhaustible._--By those surveys, the quantity was
ascertained to be upwards of TWENTY MILLIONS OF TONS. As this must
appear so enormous as to be almost incredible, we present the annexed
cut, supposed to represent a vertical section of one of the Chincha
islands and the depth of the deposit according to the government
surveys. The paralel lines at the bottom represent the level of the
water--the crooked line above, the surface of the rock; its position
having been ascertained by boring and observations of the surveyors. The
rounded line is the surface of the island as it now appears; all between
that and the rock being guano. The almost perpendicular line at the left
hand, 100 feet high, is the rock at which ships lay to take in cargo.
The space under the dotted line show a comparison of the quantity taken
away, as it relates to the whole upon the island. The well hole
represented in that section was dug some fifty feet deep to prove the
guano was of equal quality at the bottom.

The Chincha Islands are three in number; not remote from each other or
differing very materially in size or general feature. The Geological
formation presents the appearance of masses of rock jutting out above
the surface of the ocean--and occasionally rising nearly perpendicularly
to a height of from 50 to 100 feet. At a distance, the islands present
to the eye a somewhat conical form; owing probably to the greater
deposits of guano in the centre; and all appear equally rich in quantity
and quality.

The "North Island" is estimated to be about 300 feet at its greatest
elevation; it is about 1-1/2 miles in length, and from 1/2 to 3/4 of a
mile average width. In sailing round them, the guano appears to many
places to extend to the water's edge.

[Illustration: SECTIONAL VIEW OF THE NORTH CHINCHA ISLAND.]

All the guano islands are uninhabited, except by the laborers, mostly
Indians or poor Chinamen, who are employed in the work of digging,
carrying and loading the guano into the ships. When a vessel is ready to
take in cargo, she is moored alongside of the rocks almost mast head
high, from the top of which the guano is sent down through a canvass
shute directly into the hold of the ship. Thus several hundred tons can
be put on board in a day. The trimming of the cargo is a very unpleasant
part of the labor. The dust and odor is almost overpowering; so the men
are obliged to come often on deck for fresh air. The rule is to remain
below as long as a candle will burn; when that goes out, the air is
considered unfit for respiration. If the labor had to be performed by a
Yankee, he would think it unfit at first; and thereupon set his ready
wit at work to construct a machine to spread the guano as it fell, from
one end of the hold to the other. The guano in position upon the island,
is so compact it has to be dug up with picks. It is then carried to a
contrivance made of cane, at the edge of the rock, which conveys it into
the canvass conductors. The mass is cut down in steps, receding and
rising from the point of commencement, and has not yet attained a depth
of 100 feet, and with all the labor of hundreds of men digging, and
numerous ships carrying away to the several countries using it, there is
but a bare beginning of removal made upon the mass upon one island only,
as may be seen by reference to the diagram.

Supposing like many others, the supply of Peruvian guano was like the
Ichaboe, destined to run out--that is all be dug up and carried away; we
inquired of an intelligent captain of a ship just returned with a load,
how long it would be before the supply would be exhausted. "Exhausted!"
said he, with a look over the gangway, as much as to say how long would
it take to exhaust the ocean with a pint cup; "why not in one hundred
years, if every ship afloat should go into the trade, and load and
unload as fast as it would be possible to perform the labor; no, not
from the Chincha islands alone. Exhausted! they never will be
exhausted." With due allowance for the captain's enthusiasm, we may be
very certain from the government surveys, the quantity is so great, that
no probability exists of the supply being exhausted until all the
present inhabitants of this earth have ceased to move upon its surface.
We may be certain of another fact; that unless we commit a great
national wrong upon Peru, by seizing upon some of her guano territory; a
thing which the sober second thought of this nation will never sanction;
we shall not be able to obtain the article only through her government
agents, at such prices as her rulers think proper to affix to it. While
the demand and the result of the use of guano continues as at present,
there is not much probability of any material change.

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 deg.
and 14 deg., 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.]

* * * * *

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.

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