enough to recollect that whilst the former is not worth more than
1½ cents, whilst the latter is worth from 8 to 9 cents per pound.
The loss likely to be sustained by purchasers of an inferior article
is sufficiently manifest, when it is considered that that inferiority
may result from the ignorance as well as the dishonesty of the manu-
facturer, and in both of these qualities we have no reason to doubt
their deficiency. By manufacturing for themselves, the consumers
will escape loss from either cause. The points here in reference to
which I wish to call particular attention of the agriculturists, are:

1.  That bones should be used in their most soluble form—that
is, dissolved in sulphuric acid, as above directed.

2.  In preparing the mixture the bones should be as fine as pos-
sible.

3.  That the quality of the sulphuric acid employed should be
well ascertained and paid for accordingly.

4.  That lime, or substances containing much of this, should not
be used to dry the mixture.

5.  That they may be employed with benefit either at the time
of sowing wheat or planting corn, or may be used as a top dress-
ing to wheat in the spring; and

6.  That the purchaser should well ascertain the composition of
this manure when bought, as it may and does vary from many
causes.

To within a few years past bone dust and superphosphate
of lime made from it or from (coprolites) the fasces of ante-
diluvian animals, were the only sources for the supply of
phosphoric acid or phosphate of lime. Since then a largo
quantity of Guano from islands in the Gulf of Mexico and
the Caribbean sea, and the waters adjoining these, have
been imported here under the names of Mexican, Columbian,
Sombrero, Nevosa, and other guanos.

These differ much from each other in their per centage of
phosphate of lime, and differ very much from themselves in
different cargoes. From the variety of their composition it
is impossible to lay down any rules for their purchase in or-
der to avoid impositions, or for the quantity to be applied
per acre. In order to supply the proper quantity of phos-
phoric, there is one special one, however, which should never
be neglected, and that is to buy it from a person of known
integrity who has no interest in selling a bad article, and
one who has had made for him an analysis by a competent
analytical chemist, not a pretender, and then have the article
bought guaranteed to be of the same composition as the ar-
ticle sold. They should not buy it from the recommenda-
tions or puffs in venal newspapers, nor from the inspection
marks, as these cannot be relied on 'to show the composition

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