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.