Although the above was not written for publication, we prefer to give it
just as it was written, in the plain style of one farmer to another.
INTERESTING LETTER FROM EDWARD H. SEAMAN, ESQ., SEC. OF QUEENS CO.
AG. SOC.--Successful experiments since 1847--Great increase of
straw and wheat--Harrowing in guano, 300 lbs. to the acre, produced 41
bushels of wheat. Increase, seven bushels for each 100 lbs--Thirty
bushels of wheat per acre on an old worn out buckwheat field--Advantage
of guano in drouth--astonishing effects from top dressing grass.
_Cherrywood, Sept. 11th, 1852._
MR. SETH CHAPMAN--Dear Sir,--I forward according to
request, the results of several years use of Peruvian Guano, upon
my farm at Jerusalem, Long Island.
The first decisive benefit from guano that I shall notice, was
obtained from using it for wheat, as a top-dressing. In 1847,
October 1st, I took a field containing 6 acres of oat stubble, on
which I used some manure, all over the field; top-dressed with
Peruvian guano, at the rate of 300 lbs. per acre, sown (fortunately
just before a storm,) upon the furrow and harrowed in with the
wheat. Four acres of the field were sown with the old-fashioned red
flint wheat, which requires more manure than any other kind among
us. The rest of the field was sown with a soft white hulled wheat,
the name of which I do not remember. July 5, 1848.--Harvested said
field--Red wheat yielded well from straw, 14 sheaves to the
bushel--white wheat 20 sheaves to the bushel--straw very large and
thick. Had 164 bushels of wheat, or 41 bushels per acre; and 58
bushels of white wheat or 29 bushels per acre; without the guano I
think I could not have obtained much over 20 bushels per
acre.--1848, Oct. 2. Again sowed wheat upon a six acre lot of oat
stubble; seed red flint wheat--manured about the same as previous
year--used 300 lbs. guano per acre, as top-dressing for 4 acres and
moss bunker fish dirt at the rate of 10,000 per acre upon the two
acres, sowed upon the furrow, and harrowed in just previous to a
storm--Harvested the 10th of July 1849. The straw very large, and
wheat heads long, but grain very much injured by fly or
weevil--very little difference between fish and guano top-dressing;
yield 188 shocks--175 bushels; not quite 30 bushels per acre. Same
ground would not have produced more than 18 to 20 bushels wheat per
acre without the guano--or some other more expensive manure. 1849.
Oct. 3. Sowed wheat upon oat stubble field; soil thin and gravelly
upon part of the field--used some barnyard manure, but not as much
as previous year. Top-dressed with 300 lbs. guano and 12 bushels
ground bones per acre--Harvested 12th July 1850--Yield of 5-1/2
acres 160 shocks; injured some by weevil, and shrunken, but had 145
bushels or twenty-six bushels per acre. This ground would not have
yielded fifteen bushels per acre without the guano. But the most
decisive result was obtained the next year, upon an oat stubble
field of six acres, a part of which had been cropped, for perhaps
15 years, nearly alternately with rye and buckwheat; (sometimes a
crop of each in one year.) The whole field seemed so far exhausted
that we had failed to get a crop of corn or oats from it after two
different trials; and I underwent no small share of ridicule from
my neighbors, while preparing it for wheat. Remarks like the
following were of daily occurrence--"Ah! Seaman you will fail this
time." "You have not got your old highly manured fields to exhaust
this time by your stimulating stuff!" "We shall now see whether
guano is good for anything--this will be a fair test, because the
land will not produce anything without it, &c." "You may get about
12 bushels of wheat per acre; we shall see." All agreed however,
that if wheat did grow, guano should have the credit for it.
Well, we prepared the ground in about the usual manner, except
perhaps plowing a little deeper than in former years. A small
quantity of manure was plowed under, and a top dressing of ground
bones given and sowed about the last of September--2 acres with
Mediterranean and 4 acres with the red flint wheat--but owing to a
scarcity of the article, could only get about 420 lbs. of guano,
which was sown across the field upon not quite 3 acres, covering
some of each kind of wheat; it was sown upon the furrow, and
harrowed in with the wheat as usual. In 1851, April 11th, top
dressed the whole field with guano, at about 200 lbs. per acre;
harvested about the 8th July. The 2 acres of Mediterranean yielded
61 bushels; flint wheat straw very large, and thick upon the
ground, but grain much injured by the weevil; yielding an average
of 23 bushels per acre. I may remark, that where the guano was
applied in the autumn, the crop was quite one third greater than
where it only received the spring dressing. The last year I managed
much in the same way, except that I fell short of manure, and
depended entirely upon guano and bone upon a part of the field,
from which part, though I have not yet threshed it, I think I shall
get 18 to 20 bushels. The rest of the field was very large and
considered the best between this place and Brooklyn, on a road of
25 miles in length.
My _good luck_(1) at wheat growing is now a conceded point. Now for
other crops--for corn I have not been very successful; generally
mixing some guano with earth in the hill at the time of planting
and getting but few plants to stand; these, however, generally have
been heavily eared. By mixing previously with charcoal dust I think
this burning of the seed might be avoided.(2)
For buckwheat, I used 120 to 150 lbs. per acre, sown upon the
furrow and harrowed in with the grain. For barley, 150 to 200 lbs.
per acre; oats 100 to 120 lbs; turnips, 600 to 700 lbs. plowed
under a short depth, previously to forming the drill; and I find a
decided profit in using guano for all the above crops. I have seen
a field of corn the present season very greatly improved in earing
by the application of about 150 lbs. of guano, mixed with 5 parts
charcoal dust, and thrown around the hills a few weeks since during
a rain storm.
I have also used guano and charcoal dust, five parts coal to one of
guano, in my garden, the past season, and found the beds thus
dressed stood the extreme drought better than other parts of the
garden. One more case of my own and I am done. In 1851, I sowed
about 90 lbs. of guano, on a piece of meadow or mowing ground,
covering a little more than half an acre, from which the timothy
and clover was nearly gone; I took 3 lands across the lot, leaving
about 20 feet between each land. Where the guano was sown, the
timothy grew large and thick and bore the drought, and yielded
about one and a half tons per acre; while the rest of the field did
not produce more than half that amount, and that of an inferior
quality of grass. The corn upon the same field the present season,
shows plainly a better yield from the above top-dressing. From
observation and experience, I would recommend the mixing of guano
with charcoal dust, equal parts, or five parts coal to one guano,
It is much more pleasant to handle when thus mixed, being
completely deodorized and rendered much more enduring as a manure,
by retaining the ammonia for several years, instead of allowing the
greater part to pass off the first season, as is the case when
applied in a crude state, especially as a top dressing.
Prepared or decomposed muck if used with guano as a retainer of the
volatile gases, in all cases where it can be conveniently obtained
especially in soils where evaporation is so rapid as it is in most
parts of Long Island, will pay.
That like produces like, is a favorite maxim with me--that it is
necessary to replace the matter, both organic and inorganic, which
we take from the soil in the form of crops, of various kinds--that
by supplying the necessary chemical ingredients, we shall be able
to draw a great proportion of our crops from atmospheric
agents--that the necessity for using such an immense amount of
organic matter as we now use in the shape of barn yard and stable
manure will be partially overcome--that a great saving of expense
will thereby ensue--that guano is one of the most active agents to
effect such a result I am fully satisfied, not sufficient perhaps
of itself, but highly useful even in a crude state--and capable
when skillfully combined with others, to effect an entire
revolution in our system of agriculture.
If you think the above worth an insertion in the pamphlet you spoke
of, you are at liberty to insert it--if not, you will please return
the letter to me, as soon as convenient, and if you think it will
pass off any better, you may affix the following signature to the
communication.
EDWARD H. SEAMAN, Recording Secretary,
Queen's Co. Agricultural Society.
NOTE 1.--Yes, that is the word--_good luck_--it is all
good luck. It is astonishing how many farmers there are in this
country who will stand with their hands in their breeches pockets,
fumbling idle dollars, while a neighbor expends his for guano, and
produces a fine crop of wheat upon an old worn out buckwheat field;
at which they stare in stupid wonder at the good luck of the thing.
What a pity it had not been the good luck of such men to have been
born with common sense enough to profit themselves by their
neighbors good luck.
NOTE 2.--It would be far better to sow the guano broadcast
and plow it in, or scatter it in drills and turn a light furrow on
it before planting.
"_Hempstead, Aug.27, 1852._
SETH CHAPMAN, ESQ.--Dear Sir:--I believe I was the first
person in Queens County using guano; having imported some from
England in the ship Yorkshire, in 1842. This was from the Ichaboe
Islands. I have since used nearly all the varieties, and consider
the Peruvian the cheapest and best.
In applying guano, I think by making a compost, the greatest
benefit is derived; say one peck of plaster, one bushel of loam,
two of saw dust, mixed up a month or six weeks before using. From
100 to 200 lbs. of guano is enough for a crop of oats or buckwheat.
I have not found it to succeed with corn or potatoes; probably from
being accompanied by a dry season. The best wheat I ever raised was
from using 350 lbs. to the acre, composted. This was on a light
soil, and returned 31 bushels to the acre, on seven acres, weighing
62 lbs. The grass was poor after it. As a top dresser, I have used
200 lbs. per acre, very early in the spring, on half a lot, which
mowed more than half as much again as the part not dressed. One of
my neighbors has used 300 lbs. per acre, plowed in for potatoes;
the yield, good, so far, having just commenced digging.