winter rains, giving the
crop a vigorous growth in fall, and sometimes all winter, so it sends
out double the number of stalks in spring. The sun too, is so much less
powerful at that season, evaporation does not take place so easily as in
summer.

_Great Crops from Guano._--In England, 48 bushels of wheat and 100 of
oats have been made from an acre dressed with 200 lbs. of guano. A late
English writer, in detailing his own experiments, and urging others to
the same course, says; "The reason guano is serviceable to all plants
arises from its containing every saline and organic matter required as
food. It is used beneficially on all soils; for, as it contains every
element necessary to plants, it is independent of the quality of the
soil. So far as the experiments in England and Scotland may be adduced,
one cwt. of guano is equal to about five tons of farm-yard manure, on an
average; but it is much higher for turnips than for grass."

_Guano on Grass._--As we are opposed to using it as a top dressing, of
course we shall not recommend its application to this crop. Generally,
by using it on wheat and other crops, the farmer will save manure enough
to top dress his meadows. Nevertheless, in combination with proper
ingredients, we do say it is a good and profitable manure for grass. For
each acre mix from 200 to 400 lbs. with as many bushels of plaster, or
ten to one of charcoal, or twenty to one of dry swamp muck or peat,
woods mould or fine clay, and sow upon the meadow or pasture early in
spring. If the season is moist, the benefit will be very great; if dry,
it will probably be said, as it has been before; "Oh, this guano is good
for nothing--I tried it once on grass and it never done a bit of good."

_On potatoes_, 400 lbs. to the acre, broadcast, may be used to good
advantage, if it is plowed in deep enough, on clean land. As it is a
caustic manure, and requires a good deal of moisture, as well as
potatoes, it is not suitable for the hill or surface dressing. A less
quantity will pay a greater profit to the immediate crop, without much
after benefit, if it is drilled in the bottom of a deep furrow and then
covered by turning two furrows, one from each side, so as to leave a
slight depression between them, and directly over the guano. Upon these
beds plant the tubers in drills. After hoeing, scatter a mixture of
equal parts of lime, salt, ashes and plaster, a large handful every
yard, all over the rows, and we will wa