SOUTHERN PLANTER, We Had Been Informed
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— . — SOUTHERN PLANTE 23ebote a to ^srtculture, horticulture, anS the ^ouseJioIU arts. Agriculture is the nursing mother of the Arts. Tillage and Pasturage are the two breasts of the. Xmophon State.—SuMy'. FRANK: G. RUFFIN, Editor and Proprietor. T. BAILIE, Publisher. Vol. XY. RICHMOND, JULY, 1855 No. 7. GREAT FRAUD IN GUANO. nections, is the great safe-guard against these and other impositions; but, though the British [We do not know to whom allusion is made in agricultural journals the following article which the Boston Cultivator are mostly of a high tone and character, their copies from the Country Gentleman, but we think we price prevents an exten- sive circulation; and, indeed, comparatively do. It is proper though to warn people here in few farmers Virginia, especially, where our inspection laws are take any agricultural paper what- ever. Under such circumstances, not wonh a cent.—En. Plant.] therefore, it is no wonder that fraudulent manure dealers- against the It is common to declaim caution reap a rich harvest. regard tfc the adoption of of farmers in new We have long been convinced that there If, as will not be denied, they have things. were parties in this country engaged in manu- practiced an undue conservatism, it will be facturing various artificial fertilizers which found on inquiry to be, in many instances, are of little value—and we have done our part the natural result of influences to which only towards exposing their fraudulent practices. have been subjected. They have so fre- they We were also aware that inferior guanos are quently led astray the false guides, been ,by often sold under an assurance- that they are that the became the victim of like savage who equal to the best Peruvian, but we had no idea misplaced confidence, they are ready to ask that there was any one in this country engaged " shall know whom to believe, having How we in the manufacture of guano. We are serry deceived ?" The disposition to im- been so to say we have been deceived. Numerous as which been manifest among a por- prove has are our agricultural papers, great as are their tion of the rural population, has opened the circulation and influence, they are found in- for the of empiricism and decep- way practice sufficient to prevent unscrupulous men from tion on a large scale, and the reaction which is attempting to palm off on the credulous far- the result constitutes a serious obstacle to the mers of our broad domain a comparatively spread of truth. Thus the false friends of worthless article, at a high price, under a false agriculture are in reality its worst enemies. name, and, what is most to be regretted, it is following article from the The Country one of the professed friends and teaehera of Gentleman exposes one of the ways by which scientific agriculture that i? engaged in this base men aggrasdize themselves at the expense deception. of honest fanners. The parties engaged in How we discovered the fraud, we are not at this new system of rascality are no " green liberty to state. Suffice it to say, that some hands," as many persons already too well six weeks ago, we were informed that an arti- know. Eds. cle known as Mexican guano was taken to*an "Everyone acquainted with the guano trade establishment, near Neivark, N. J.,'and there of Great Britain is aware that adulteration is mixed with plaster, salt, sugar-hcuse scum, earried on to an enormous extent. The laws Peruvian guano and quick-lime, the whole are stringent, and the penalties in case of de- ground up together and put in bags, marked tection severe, yet the profits are so large and " Chilian Guano}'' the difficulty of proving the fraud so great, Following the direction of our informant,, that numbers of dishonest men are willing to we proceeded to Newark, and there found a brave the chances of detection. The agricul- large heap, of about 250 tons of Mexican go, tural press, when in the hands of honest, inde- ano, and some 200 tons of the manufactured lent men, unjtrammelea hy business con- aruhcte in bags, ronrked "JDhilian guano," as — 194 THE SOUTHERN PLANTER, we had been informed. We had also learned hands of Barreda Brothers, and has their that a considerable quantity bad already been mark upon it; so that it would not be easy to shipped to New York and Boston, and one sell a spurious Peruvian guano. Chilian ga- gentleman said he believed a good portion of ano is subject to no such regulations, and the it had been sent to England. books describe it, when " fine,"—and the In New York we were offered the Chilian manufactured article is made fine by grinding guano, if we would take it in quantity, at $35 —as a "very valuable variety, equal to that per ton. of the very best Peruvian." The name, there- took We samples of both the Mexican and fore, has been chosen with consummate cun- Chilian guano, and made careful duplicate ning. analyses of them in the laboratory of Prof. The Oxtord (Me.) Democrat states that it Carr, of this city, chemist to the New York has received a circular containing au analysis State Agricultural Society. The following of " Chilian guano," made by Prof. Hayes, are the per mean eentage results of the analy- " Assayer to the State of Massachusetts," and ses: which is " Endorsed by Prof. Mapes." This Mexican Guano. analysis represents the Chilian guano as con- Sand, --..- o.o taining 27.9 per cent, of "»azotized organic Organic matter, - - - 5.0 matter and fixed salts of ammonia." This is Phosphate of lime, - - - 26.0 a much larger quantity than the sample we Carbonate of lime, - - - 68.0 analyzed contained. The actual quantity of 99.5 ammonia or nitrogen is not stated, and it is Chilian Guano. impossible to judge correctly of the value of Water, ----- 4.0 the manure without it. Fermented saw-dust, Sand, ----- 2.4 " or peat may be termed azotized organic Organic matter, - - - 15.3 matter, with fixed s*lt of ammonia ;" and we Phosphate of lirne, - - - 24.5 can see no use of such to Sulphate of iime, (plaster) - 9.5 phraseology except Chloride of sodium, (salt) - 6.2 deceive. Carbonate of lime, (chalk) - .37.6 Seeing it stated in the Southern Farmer % that Chilian guano was about to be tried on 99.5 the Model Farm of the Union Agricultural Ammonia, - - - 1.06 Having obtained thesu results, we proceeded Society, at Petersburg, Va., we wrote to the once more to Newark, and there received the Superintendent, Mr. Nichol, for infoimation following account of the modus operandi, in regard to it. He replied that it was ob- adopted in the factory: tained from Messrs. Rowlett &, Harday, of The bags are first marked "Chilian Guano;" Petersburg, who received it from Mr. S., of price they are .then moistened with water, and laid Boston. The was $40 per ton. Mr. T.. Pleasants, the guano inspector in a heap, in layers, with a quantity of Peru- S. at Peters- vian gitano between each layer. burg, informs us, that having made a chemical examination the Chilian The sugar-house scum is pounded fine. of guano, he told " Three barrowfuls, of "five half-bushels" each, Messrs. R. & H. that it was a fraud." On are then mixed with six barrowfuls of Mexican this, Messrs. R. & H. wrote to Mr. S., who replied that the opinion of Mr. Pleasants guano. To this are added 1 \ bushels common " different from other salt, 1 bushel plaster, o bushels Peruvian gu- was very gentlemen, ano, and \ bushel of quick lime. When the mentioning the names of Dr. Hayes, and the Peruvian guano and lime are added, "they Inspector at Richmond, Dr. Powell." make it tremendously strong." In other words, We have now presented the facts in regard the lime sets free the ammonia of the Peruvian to this Chilian guano manufacture, so far as gaano, and gives the manufactured Chilian we have -been able to obtain them. Our read- guano a strong smell of hartshorn, which, to ers can draw their own inferences. Even were the unreflecting, is a sure indication of a valu- the artiele itself valuable, it would be a gross able guano. deception to palm it off asgenu'ne guano; but The floor , where the bags were filled, was the article is comparatively worthless, as oar covered with Peruvian Guano, in order to analysis fully proves. Thus a ton of it con- make the article look as like genuine guano as tains 490 lbs. insoluble phosphate of Lime, possible. which at two cents perpoinJ—a high esti- What is Chilian guano, and why is this mate—is $9.80; 124 lbs. of salt, worth say name given to it instead of the better known Si; 190 lbs. plaster, 50 cents, and 21 lbs. Peruvian guano? The only genuine Peru- ammonia at 12 cents per pound, $2,52. This vian guano in this country comes through the ib $13,82 per ton Attow'ng that non-azot-- — — THE SOUTHERN PLANTER m ized organic matter and carbonate of lime is tleman, confirms the written opinion given the worth §1.18, we have fifteen dollars as the consignee by the Inspector, that neither lot outside value of a ton of the so-called "Chilian had ever been within 3000 miles of the coast guano." And for this the farmers are asked of Chili." $40, and are told that it i* better than Peru- From the above, no one can doubt that the vian guano.