Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 09.djvu/373

* GUANO. 329 GUARANA. loiies and Laccpede Island, 33 per cent.; Som- brero, 32 per cent.; and Jan'is Island, 20 per cent. Until 1874 most of the so-called Peruvian gua- no was obtained from the Chinclia Islands, situ- ated about 12 miles oft" the coast of iVru, between latitude 13° and 14° S. Each of these islands is from 5 to 6 miles in circumference, and is of granite, formerly covered with guano, in places to a height of 200 feet, in successive horizontal strata, varying in thickness from three iuclics to a foot, anil in color from a light to a dark brown. Sometimes, however, a vertical surface of upward of 100 feet of a perfectly uniform appearance was found. As good Peruvian guano always commanded a high price, and there was a strong inducement to adulterate it, imiber, powdered stones, vari- ous earths, partially decomposed sawdust, and other substances were used for this purpose, and specimens have been sold containing mere traces of the genuine article. Moreover, as the deposits become exhausted the quality deteriorates. For instance, certain of the Peruvian guanos origi- nally contained as high as 14 per cent, of nitro- gen, but declined to 3 to 4 per cent, as the deposits became worked out. To make good this deficiency, it has been a common practice to "equalize' or 'rectify' the guano bj- the addition of ammonium sulphate. In view of this wide variation in composition and quality, large purchases of guano should be made only on guaranty of composition. .s the chemical composition of natural guano is known, an artificial guano may be readily com- pounded by the admixture, in due proportions, of its constituents. The following mixture forms a good imitation of giuino, 1321-. pounds of it being considered equal in power to 1 cwt. of good Peruvian guano: 78% pounds of bone-dust, 25 pounds of sulphate of ammonia, I Vi pounds of pearlash, 25 pounds of common salt, and 2% pounds of dry sulphate of soda. Guano formerly was largely used for all the cultivated crops on the farm, and is now when it can be procured. It was the first artificial fertil- izer to be used in large quantities, and the re- markable benefits derived from its application led to a rapid extension of its employment and pre- pared tlie way for the general use of commer- cial manures and intensive culture. Guano is therefore of great importance historically, be- cause of its inrtuence on agricultural practice, although, as Aikman states, it is now largely a manure of the past. It is essentially a nitro- genous and phosphatic fertilizer, although it usually contains a small percentage of potash. When used continuously, therefore, and not sup- plemented by potash fertilizers, it may result in an undue exhaustion of the soil as regards potash, and a consequent refusal of the soil to respond to further applications of the guano. The practice, formerly common, of applying salt with gu.mo tended to hasten this exhaustion of potash in the soil. Guano is especially valuable as a nitrogenous fertilizer. The nitrogen, being in a variety of forms, is supplied to the plant gradually and continuously throughout its period of growth without danger of serious loss by leaching. At the beginning of the Civil War there were annually imported into the United States about 80.000 tons of guano, used chiefly in the South. The importation since has not been so large. In 1S50 Congress passed an act giving to any Ameri- can citizen who discovered a guano island the ex- clusive right to sell the guano. This stimulated the exploitation of deposits for a time to a marked extent; but the business has declined in recent years, due both to the exhaustion of deposits and to the utilization of cheaper sources of commer- cial fertilizers, such as the immense phospliale beds of the South. The total amiual injpurt into Great Britain in 18113 is estimated by -ik- nian as under 30,000 tons, while in 1S,")5 it was over 200,000 tons. The term guano is commonly applied to vari- ous other manures, such as fish-guano and bat- guano. The latter is t!ie more or less altered accumulation of bat-manure found in certain caves. It sometimes contains as high as 9 per cent, of nitrogen and 25 per cent, of ])liosphoric acid, but is found in too limited quantities to be of much commercial importance. See Ma- MKES AXU ;IANIRING. GUANOALCA, gva'n6-al'ki (1,530-01). An Araucanian cacique, born in the valley of Puren, Chile. Renowned for his victories over the Span- iards, he was elected commander-in-chief of the forces of the allied tribes in 1588, and was killed in the assault upon Marigueuu. GUANO ISLANDS. A general term applied to the Chineha, Lobos, and minor groups of isl- ands, oft' the coast of Peru, South -merica. They were so named from their large deposits of guaim. GUANTANAMO, gwan-tan'a-ni6 (also called Santa Catalina del Saltadero, from the name of the mountains which surround it). An inland town in the Cuban Province of Santiago de Culia. situated about 10 miles north of the Bay of Ciuantilnamo (Map: Cuba, K 6). It is connected by rail with Caimanera, its port. It exports coffee, sugar, and lumber. It was founded at the end of the eighteenth century, largely by families of French descent from Santo Dominco. Popiila- tion, in 1899. 28,0G3. GUAPOR^, gwa'po-ra', or ITENEZ, ftji'nas. A river of South America, rising in Matto Gros- so, Brazil, and flowing northwest between Brazil and Bolivia, to its confluence with the Mamon' (q.v. ), an affluent of the JIadeira (Map: Brazil. E 6). Its entire length is about 950 miles, and it is navigable for light-draught vessels to the town of JIatto Grosso, which is less than 100 miles from the source of the river. GUAQUE, gwil'ka. A wild Carih tribe on the Caqueta River, on the border between Colomliia and Ecuador. They are intelligent, and skillful in gathering wax and in other occupations. The couvade is in force among them. Xo woman nuist be seen by men during her monthly period, and at the birth of a child sTie must withdraw from the household for three months, during all which time her husband observes strict seclusion. See COTVAUE. GUARA, gwa-rii'. A corrupt form of 'aguara' (q.v.). GUARANA, gwft-rii'n,^ (Brazilian name), or Brazilian Cocoa. A dried paste made from the seeds of the PaulUma sorhUift. The dried seeds are reduced to powder, mixed with water to a stiff paste, and rolled into cylinders, which are then dried, forming a hard, brown isli mass. The substance has an astringent, bitterish, but not unpleasant taste, and is largely used as a stimu-