Method and Means for the Destruction of Insects and Animals Injurious to Plants, Vegetables, and Fruits, and for the Diminution of the Evils Resulting therefrom.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Mar., 1886.
Complete Left, 11th Dec., 1886.
Complete Accepted, 4th Feb., 1887.
Method and Means for the Destruction of Insects and Animals
Injurious to Plants, Vegetables, and Fruits, and for the
Diminution of the Evils Resulting therefrom.
I, ADOLPH CLEMM, Doctor of Philosophy, of Mannheim, Germany Gentleman do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Animal parasites may be destroyed by first introducing into the earth a solution of
a metallic sulphide or of a carbonate, or of a mixture of both, and then adding a dilute
solution of acid. When the acid comes in contact with the sulphide, sulphuretted
hydrogen is developped in the earth, and in a similar manner carbonic acid is liberated
by the action of the acid on the carbonate. These gaseous products of reaction,.
namely sulphuretted hydrogen or carbonic acid or both, penetrate the soil, in which
they act as a very powerful poison to animal life, without being injurious to plants.
In carrying out my process, I first allow one of the two solutions, preferably the
solution of a metallic salt, in a diluted state to trickle into the earth, which may be
done by pouring it into ditches dug for this purpose, or into holes produced by means
of earth borers or other suitable apparatus. When the solution has been completely
absorbed by the earth, I pour into the ditches or holes the second dilute solution in
a quantity necessary for the decomposition of the first, after which the ditches
or holes are again filled up. In this manner a very uniform distribution of the
solutions, and therefore also of the gases evolved by their mutual reaction, in the earth
is obtained.
The following sulphides and carbonates are chiefly applicable in my process:
Potassic, ammonic or sodic sulphide (or a mixture of sulphides and carbonates);
potassic or sodic carbonate. Among acids dilute phosphoric, nitric and sulphuric
acid are most suitable.
These solutions may be so chosen, that their mutual reaction not only produces gases,
which are poisonous to animal life, but also salts such as potassic or ammonic phos-
phate or sulphate or sodic nitrate, which serve as an excellent nutriment for plants.
This simultaneous production of animal poison and vegetable nutriment is the
principal merit of my method, which thus not only r
removes the cause of further
destruction, but serves to restore diminished vitality.
My invention is applicable for the destruction of the phylloxera, potato bug, mice,
moles and other animals.

page_text: Method. and Means, for the Destruction of Insects and
Animals
Injurious to Plants, Vegetables, and Fruits, and for the
Diminution of the Evils Resulting therefrom.
1, ADOLPH CLEMM, Doctor of Philosophy, of Mannheim, Germany, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
Animal parasites may be destroyed by first introducing into the earth a solution
of a metallic sulphide or of a carbonate, or of a mixture of both, and then adding a
dilute solution of acid. When the acid comes in contact with the sulphide, sulpha-
retted. hydrogen is developed in the earth, and in a similar manner carbonic acid
is liberated by the action of the acid on the carbonate. These gaseous products of
reaction, namely sulphuretted hydrogen or carbonic acid, or both, penetrate the soil,
in which they act as a very powerful poison to animal life, without being injurious
to plants.
In carrying out my process, I first allow one of the two solutions, preferably the
solution of a metallic salt, in a diluted state, to trickle into the earth, which may be
done by pouring it into ditches dug for this purpose, or into holes produced by means
of earth borers or other suitable apparatus. When the solution has been completely
absorbed by the earth, I pour into the ditches or holes the second dilute solution in a
quantity necessary for the decomposition of the first, after which the ditches or holes
are again filled up.
The metallic sulphide solution contains preferably from two to three per cent of
the sulphide, and the acid solution may have approximately the same strength, but.
should not be stronger. If the quantity of the sulphide to be employed in solution
is taken as the unit, the acid should be used in equivalent quantity plus 0-3, that is
to say, 13 equivalents of acid should be employed: The volume of gases (sulphuretted
hydrogen or carbonic acid) to be developed for every cubic metre of cartlı under
treatment, should as a rule be about 14 cubic metres. Sulphuretted hydrogen is con-
siderably more active than carbonic acid. It is evident; however, that the absolute
quantity of the sulphides and acids to be used, cannot be fixed for all cases, as the
quantity depends on the nature of the soil, on the depth at which the injurious animals'
are living, and also on the power of resistance of the animals to be killed. Conse-
quently, I do not limit myself to the proportions and to the strength of solutions;
mentioned above.
The following sulphides and carbonates are chiefly applicable in my process:
Potassic, ammonic or sodic sulphide; potassic or sodic carbonate, (or a mixture of
sulphides and carbonates). Among acids dilute phosphoric, nitric, and sulphuric acid
are most suitable.
These solutions may be so chosen, that their mutual reaction not only produces
gases, which are poisonous to animal life, but also salts such as potassic or ammonic

page_text: phosphate or sulphate or sodic nitrate, which serve as an excellent nutriment for
plants. This simultaneous production of animal poison and vegetable nutriment is
the principal merit of my method, which thus not only removes the cause of further
destruction, but serves to restore diminished vitality.
My invention is applicable for the destruction of the phylloxera, potato bug, mice,
inoles and other small animals, and as the cost of chemicals employed is balanced by
the manurial value of the salts produced by their mutual reaction, and the solutions
are employed in a very dilute form, my process is cheaper than those hitherto employed
for the same purpose, and especially cheaper than the introduction of bisulphide of
carbon into the soil.
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 :-
1. The process for the destruction of animals injurious to plants, such as the phyl-
loxera, the potato bug (Colorada beetle), mice and moles, which consists in introducing
into the soil solutions of metallic sulphides or of carbonates, or a mixture of these
bodies, and subsequently decomposing these substances in the soil by the addition of
dilute acids, whereby gases poisonous to animal life, namely sulphuretted hydrogen
or carbonic acid-are produced, simultaneously with substances adapted to nourish
and strengthen the plants.
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
-433, Strand, London,
Agents for the Applicant.