Improvements in Fertilizing by the Aid of Artificial Nitrogenous .
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 27th June, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 26th Mar., 1896-Accepted, 2nd May, 1896,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fertilizing by the Aid of Artificial Nitrogenous .:
Manure.
I, HERMANN MEHNER, of Savigny Platz 5, Charlottenburg in the Kingdom of
Prussia, and Empire of Germany, Doctor of Philosophy, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of the present invention is to improve the manuring by furnishing the
soil with an artificial nitrogenous fertilizer which will not at once be dissolved in
the soil as is the case with Chili-saltpetre and nitrate of ammonia, but constitutes a
more lasting as well as a more uniformly acting supply of nitrogen. To obtain this,
the present invention consists in supplying the soil with nitrogen in the form of
silicium-nitride. This substance is a chemical compound composed of nitrogen and..
silicium, which.is but slowly and gradually decomposed into ammonia and silica or...
silicates when exposed to the action of the humidity and diluted acids present
in the soil.
Dated this 27th day of June 1895.
HASELTINE; LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Fertilizing by the Aid of Artificial Nitrogenous
Manure.
I, HERMANN MEHNER, of 5 Savigny Platz, Charlottenburg, in the Kingdom.of
Prussia, and Empire of Germany, Doctor of Philosophy, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :--
.
A well-known. defect in the customary method of fertilizing by the aid of
nitrogenous manure consists in the fact that the nitrogen compounds available for
this purpose at the present time form easily soluble salts, in consequence of which
they not only last but a short time in the soil, and therefore render the supply of
nitrogen to the plant very irregular, but are also liable to be withdrawn from the
same by the action of the weather. In some cases the nitrogenous manure is
even entirely lost, if the plants meet with some mishap during the period of
vegetation.
I have succeeded in supplying the soil with a more or less lasting and regular
source of supply of nitrogen by incorporating with the soil compounds of nitrogen
with silicon.
Compounds of nitrogen and silicon are only mentioned in scientific literature ;
little attention is given to these substances which have only recently been manu-
factured on a large scale at a price enabling them to be used for industrial
purposes.
The observation that silicon nitride is decomposed by moisture constitutes the
basis of its suitability as a manure. My systematic experiments with regard to
the use of silicon nitride have moreover shown that under the action of a weak

page_text: solution of carbonic acid it slowly develops ammonia; the same effect is also
preduced by other weak acids. As these reagents exist in the soil, the use of
silicon nitride as a manure permits of the generation of ammonia being transferred
from the chemical works; into the soil itself, and guarantees to the plant a lasting
and uniform supply of nitrogen. The silicic acid or silicates resulting from the
decomposition are uninjurious to the plants.
Of course it is not necessary to employ the silicon nitride alone. Under certain
circumstances it may be deemed expedient to mix it with other substances on
condition that these will not expel ammonia. For instance the farmer may
introduce the new manure into the soil as a mixture with sulphates, which he other-
wise also requires, say with kainite, in order to save labour. Or the silicon nitride
may be used in the form of compound nitrides, such as for example in the form of
silicon-magnesium nitride.
The supply of nitrogen in the form of silicon nitride has on the other hand the
enormous additional advantage of cheapening the manuring by reducing the cost
of transport. In 500 kilogrammes of the concentrated nitrogenous manure in the
form of Chili-saltpetre there are only 7.5 kilogrammes, and in the form of
ammonium sulphate only 10 kilogrammes, whereas silicon nitrate contains more
than double the quantity of nitrogen.
The use of silicon nitride constitutes a method of manuring with atmospheric
nitrogen. As compared with the well-known method of manuring with lupines and
the like the advantages are at once manifest. But also as compared with any other
method, for instance that of converting the atmospheric nitrogen into the ammonium
sulphate used, the great advantage of the direct employment of the silicon nitride
will be recognized. The sulphuric acid combined with 14 parts by weight of
nitrogen amounts to about 50 parts by weight. These 50 parts by weight of
sulphuric acid must be specially manufactured. The carriage alone of the iron
pyrites, to be obtained from distant places, partly from Spain, for producing the
acid amounts to more than the total cost of the sands to be found everywhere and
of the quartz.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that
what I claim is :-
The method of supplying the nitrogen necessary.for the growth of plants by
silicon nitride.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, W.C., Agents for the Applicant