Guano

A mixture of earthy phosphates and other mineral compounds, resulting from the slow alteration of excrements and remains of birds that have accumulated on islands off the w.coast of S. America and Africa. It was one of the IMG:content-0432.png:[graphic][merged small] earliest forms of commercial fertilizer used, and formerly was of much better quality than at present. especially in regard to nitrogen, containing up to 16 per cent of ammonia in combination. It is now comparatively little used.