Part 4 (1/2)
_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.