up
their substance into their own composition. Both are highly beneficial,
but insufficient to add permanent fertility.

_The effect of guano_, is greater than any other highly concentrated
manure ever discovered and applied to any soil. Its benefits are
immediate continuous, and unlike lime, without exhausting the soil of
its organic matter. Yet its benefits will be increased by the addition
of organic manures derived from green crops, straw, or the stable, and
the value of these will be greatly increased by the addition of lime,
salt and plaster, while any deficiency of phosphates must be supplied by
powdered bones or another application of guano.

_The effect of plaster with guano_ is to arrest the excursive
disposition of the volatile parts of the guano, and imprison them in the
earth until called forth by the growing plants to do the State some
service. The following question to the Editor of the American Farmer,
and his reply, are to the point in this matter:--

A correspondent says--"As to the question of mixing plaster with guano,
there is one question I should like to propose to the editor,
viz.--'what will be the effect of sowing guano upon land by itself, and
then, the seed being in the ground, giving it a heavy top-dressing of
plaster, so as to arrest the 'excursion,' of which so much is said?"

_Reply by the editor._--"The effect of such application of guano and
plaster would be, to prevent the waste of the ammonia of the former, as
every rain would decompose more or less of the plaster, separate the
sulphuric acid from the lime, and the sulphuric acid when liberated,
would unite with the ammonia, form a sulphate of ammonia, and hold the
latter in reserve to be taken up by the roots of the plants. The
presence of plaster with all _organic_ manures, either directly mixed
with them, or broadcasted after they may be applied, tends to prevent
the escape of their volatile parts. We prefer them together for two
reasons,--_first_, because, by bringing the two into _immediate
contact_, the action of the plaster is more direct; and _secondly_,
because the time and expense of one sowing is thereby saved. We go for
saving every way, as time and labor costs money, and we look upon
economy as a virtue, which should be practised by all, and especially by
husbandmen."

If the plaster and guano is mixed together, 25 lbs. of the former to 100
lbs. of the latter, will be found a proper proportion, and sufficient to
pr