An Improved Insect-destroying Compound and Method of Preparing, same.
Year: 1889

page_text: An Improved Insect-destroying Compound and Method of
Preparing, same.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK of the firm of A. M. & Wm. Clark 53 Chancery
Lane in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents do hereby
declare the nature of this invention (a communication to me from abroad by Eben
Bean of Jacksonville in the County of Duval and State of Florida, United States of
America) Merchant and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention has for its object the production of a compound, more particularly
designed to be used upon plants and trees (especially fruit-bearing trees, such as the
orange-tree and others) which will effectually destroy various insects that infest, injure
and destroy plants, trees and fruit life.
The compound is made up of. lime, sulphur and water, and in which the lime
and sulphur are chemically united and held in solution in the water, and the
invention includes the process by which this solution of lime and sulphur is produced,
substantially as hereinafter described.
It is well known that common air-slaked lime and powdered sulphur, when put
into water, do not. unite and dissolve in the water, but settle at the bottom of the
vessel containing the three ingredients, namely, lime, sulphur and water, which
remain essentially in their natural conditions. Such a mere mechanical mixture or
combination is valueless for the purpose in view.
I therefore take caustic lime or unslaked lime in the lump and slake it with a small
quantity of water and, while the slaking or combustion is going on, put in the
powdered sulphur and burn it with, or by, the burning or heated lime. This produces
a chemical change and causes a perfect union of the lime and sulphur so that when
put into water the same will dissolve in the water and remain in solution.
This solution may be applied to the plants or trees it is designed to clear of insects
by spraying or otherwise. It may be used on orange trees to destroy the insect which
causes the fruit to rust, and also to destroy "scale" and other insects with which
orange trees are infested. For these purposes, the strength of the solution may be
varied, but 2 lbs. (two pounds) of sulphur to 8 lbs. (eight pounds) of caustic lime when

page_text: put into one hundred gallons of water, have been found to form a sufficiently strong
solution to destroy the rust mite; while 2 lbs. (two pounds) of sulphur to 10 lbs.
(ten pounds) of the lime in one hundred gallons of water, answers for removing the
"scale" and other insects from the tree.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is―
1. The within described process of producing the within specified insect destroying
compound or solution, especially applicable for the destruction of insects infesting,
injuring and destroying plant or tree and fruit life, and which consists in adding
sulphur to lime while the latter is being slaked and afterwards dissolving said
ingredients in water, as set forth.
2. The within described insect destroying compound or solution, consisting of
water with lime and sulphur dissolved therein.
Dated this 96th dow of Fohu104a