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.