the department of agriculture, commerce, and public works, as has been recently communicated to me by his excellency Count Walewski. Accept, captain, the renewed assurance of my distinguished consideration. SIR: Transmitted herewith is a box containing several samples of the soil or deposits of Jarvis and New Nantucket islands, in the Pacific ocean, which were collected and sent to the department by Commander Charles H. Davis, commanding United States ship St. Mary's. The department requests that you will cause these samples to be analyzed, with the view to ascertain their true character, and to what extent they possess the properties of guano. The expense of the analysis will be borne by this department. I am, respectfully, your obedient servant, Professor JOSEPH HENRY, ISAAC TOUCEY. Secretary Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D. C. No. 10. SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, SIR: In accordance with the request contained in your letter of March 8, 1858, that we would cause to be analyzed samples of the soil or deposits of the New Nantucket and Jarvis islands, in the Pacific ocean, we employed two chemists, in whose knowledge and practical skill we have full confidence, to make the investigations required in the laboratory of the Smithsonian Institution. The report, which I have the honor herewith to transmit, contains a brief account of the results which they have obtained, which, we trust, will be sufficient for the purposes of the department. Should any further information be required, we will endeavor to furnish it. From this report it will be seen that the deposits submitted to examination do not possess the peculiar characteristics of Peruvian guano, although of the same origin, and are not equal to it in value. In some cases they might be considered as valuable as bone dust, but not generally. They differ from the latter in being almost entirely deficient in nitrogeneous matter, and therefore their importance for agri cultural purposes depends upon their mineral ingredients, which are of a valuable character, being the same as the inorganic matter of bones. The want of nitrogeneous matter, however, renders a strict comparison between them and bone dust impossible. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, JOSEPH HENRY, Secretary Smithsonian Institution. Hon. I. TOUCEY, WASHINGTON, D. C., May 27, 1858. DEAR SIR: We herewith transmit the results of the examination of a number of specimens sent to you from the Navy Deparment for the purpose of ascertaining their chemical composition, as far as relates to their commercial value. It is understood that these specimens were supposed to be guanos, or similar substances, having properties rendering them useful as manures, and it is to the determination of this that we have devoted our whole attention. The specimens were 17 in number, and the labels attached to them indicated that nine of them were brought from "New Nantucket island" by the United States vessel St. Mary's, and eight from "Jarvis island" by the same vessel. There were no distinctive marks otherwise attached to the specimens, from which we were led to the conclusion that they were selected as samples from different parts of the respective islands, and were intended to give the average, as far as could be determined by eye, of the product of each. The specimens were contained in the tin cases used for preserved meats, &c., and were hermetically sealed by solder, as we ascertained by careful inspection, and as was confirmed by the results of our subsequent examination. We deem it necessary particularly to note this fact, for, as we have indirectly learned, the specimens were obtained some time ago, and we feel authorized to say that they have neither lost nor gained anything since they were sealed, and the evidence is conclusive that they must have been sealed soon after they were obtained on the respective islands. Distinctive labels were attached to the cans as they were opened and examined, those from New Nantucket island being marked by the letters A, B and I, and those from Jarvis island by the letters K and S. Essential differences between the products of the two islands having been developed by our later investigations, we proceed to give the results, nearly concordant among themselves, as derived from the examination of the products of each island separately. We will first consider the specimens from New Nantucket. These were found to be quite moist, and we immediately proceeded to determine the quantity of water in them, which could be driven off by exposure to the heat of boiling water, (212° Fah.) The greatest amount found was 33 per cent., the least 21 per cent.; the average of all the specimens from this island being 27.87 per cent. Upon free exposure to the air of the laboratory, this water was given off, with the exception of about 3 per cent. We next proceeded to examine the residue left, after drying at 212°. The organic matter present was evidently, in part at least, vegetable, as the fibrous portions of roots were seen throughout the mass. The residue was ignited, by which treatment all organic matter would be burned off. The smell in all cases was that of peat or moor soil, being that of vegetable and not of animal matter; sometimes a faint ammoniacal odor could be discovered. The organic matter thus determined was found to be 10.6 per cent. for a maximum, and 8.4 per cent. for a minimum, or, on an average of all the specimens, 9 per cent. of the dried material. A part of this loss was due to water retained at the temperature of 212°, and a part to the very small quantity of ammonia which escaped. The nature of the matter thus lost was not dissimilar to that contained in ordinary soils; the quantity, however, was much greater, but even larger quantities of the same matter have been found in unproductive soils. The residue, after ignition, was found to contain mainly phosphate of lime, (bone earth,) with small quantities of magnesia, iron, and soda, and in all of the specimens the soluble salts were very small in quantity. Before ignition a little carbonate of lime was detected. We next proceeded to consider the specimens from Jarvis island, which differed materially from the last. The quantity of water was less than that found in the specimens from the other island, being about 18 per cent. on an average. The dried material lost, of organic matter, by ignition, 12.4 per cent., on an average. This matter showed the same character as that above described. The residue contained phosphate of lime, with a small quantity of magnesia, a large quantity of sulphate of lime and soda, and about 4 per cent. of chloride of sodium, (common salt.) Iron and carbonate of lime were also present in small quantity. In burning, the products of this island uniformly gave a whiter ash than those of the last, which first gave a suspicion of the presence of a larger quantity of sulphate of lime. Some of the specimens from the other islands showed not the slightest trace of this substance. A precise determination of the whole quantity of ammonia capable of being obtained, gave for one of the specimens less than one-third of 1 per cent. of the dry material. The products from both of these islands have evidently been derived from the excrement of sea birds. The term guano was originally applied to the deposits on islands upon which rain rarely or never falls, and on which, in a dry atmosphere, the matter was preserved almost unchanged. Such guanos contained not only inorganic matter, as the phosphates supplying needful ingredients to our crops, ammoniacal salts, capable of invigorating, or, to use the common word, "stimulating" their growth, but also "animal matter" capable of furnishing, by its slow decomposition under the influence of heat and moisture, ammonia for a long period. By general usage, the term guano has been extended in meaning until made to include any and every product derived from the excrement of sea birds, even when this has assumed the character of a solid rock, only valuable for agricultural purposes by its mineral or inorganic constituents. In both of these islands the salts of ammonia have been reduced to a minimum, and it is doubtful whether any more ammonia is present than can be obtained from the phosphate of magnesia and ammonia, a form most favorable for the preservation of this important constituent. In the specimens from "New Nantucket," it would seem that drenching rains and a high temperature had never allowed the excrement of sea birds to attain the condition represented by Peruvian guano, nearly all soluble salts having been removed, and all organic matter capable of furnishing nitrogen in the form of ammonia having been decomposed. In the specimens from "Jarvis island," it would seem that sea water had produced a similar effect, with the exception of the introduction of a larger quantity of sulphates and chlorides. Without a more precise description of the climate and of the actual condition of the islands, we cannot undertake to say what changes the deposits have undergone; we can only presume that if the specimens fairly represent the deposit, no portion at the present time is in the condition of Peruvian guano. This presumption is also sustained by the quantity of vegetable matter present, in the shape of the fibrous roots of plants, which have evidently grown upon the spot. No true unaltered guano would, by itself, support vegetable life. We can say, however, without hesitation, that the products from these islands depend for their value as manures almost solely upon their mineral or inorganic constituents. As to the worth of these substances, we can best represent it by comparison with bones, which are nearer to them in composition than any other common material. Bones, however, are valuable as manure, by reason of their mineral matter, phosphate of lime, &c., and also by their animal matter. This latter, by slow decomposition, furnishes year after year something to the plant in the shape of ammonia. The phosphate of lime being an important constituent of all our cereal grains, is, by itself, a desirable addition to a soil. This can easily be understood when it is remembered that nearly the whole of the bones of all animals is originally derived from the bone earth in vegetable food. The specimens we have examined contain a larger per centage of phosphate of lime than bones contain; they have also rather more phosphoric acid than bone earth, and are in a finely divided condition, so that the useful matter can be readily taken up when applied to crops. Bones contain about one-tenth less of phosphates than the "New Nantucket" deposit in its moist state, and about one-third less than the same material when dry. The "Jarvis island" deposit contains a fourth less of phosphates than the other, but it is not so uniform; and the sulphate of lime, (gypsum,) although a useful ingredient, tends to form lumps or masses which are too tough to be reduced without grinding. Bones, when ground, are worth 1 cent per pound; hence it would be easy to determine the relative value, if the mineral matter alone were concerned. But bones contain also animal organic matter, to which, in part, they owe their value as manure; the specimens examined contain almost none of this. We cannot therefore make an absolute comparison of the value of these deposits and of bones; for the former contain one kind of useful matter, the latter two kinds, which cannot take the place of each other, as they perform different offices for the plant. The quantity of phosphates required for any given crop can easily be calculated; and if we add to the soil a sufficiency of these to last for several years, we can gain nothing by adding more of them. In loose soils any excess would be a waste, as it would be washed down and lost. The maximum of good effect by the addition of such substances as those we have examined would soon be attained, and the hope of continued benefit by continued additions would not be realized. Bones, on the other hand, supply animal matter, which may be often renewed with benefit, even if an excess of phosphates is thereby added to the soil. We have aimed at a correct statement of the value of these deposits; and as it depends upon the relative value of mineral and organic matters as manures, we have felt compelled to dilate somewhat upon this point in order to prevent mistake. The quantity of water contained in the specimens is a somewhat serious drawback upon their value. This, and the nearly useless vegetable matter, would together involve the transportation with each ton of one-third of a ton of inert substances. Whether drying upon the islands would be practicable we cannot say; the nearly uniform moisture of all the specimens seems to indicate too moist an atmosphere for carrying on the drying process. To aid in giving a general view of the value of the specimens, we append a table showing the per centage in each of the water of the matter lost by burning and of the fixed residue. Any further information or explanations that may be desired in regard to this matter we shall be happy to furnish. The above statements have been drawn up in accordance with your request for an immediate report; we believe, however, that they contain everything material to the answer of the questions proposed. Rep. No. 307-2 |