Improvements in the Manufacture of Manure.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Mar, 1006
Complete Specification Left, 7th Sept., 1896-Accepted, 17th Oct., 1396
Complete Specification Left, 7th Sept., 1896-Accepted, 17th Oct., 1396
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Manure.
I, NAPOLÉON FRÉDÉRIC BOURGEOIS DE MERCEY, of Ja Faloise (Somme) in the
Republic of France, Geologist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
The importance of humus in manure is universally recognized, the manure, par
excellence, being that which contains the three essential elements, namely, humus,
mineral salts and nitrogenous matters. The humus supplies plants with carbon
and nitrogen and it has considerable absorbent power and the two-fold quality of
mellowing the soil and rendering it cohesive.
Turf has justly been considered as the best material for the commercial production
of humus by combining it with lime, but a rational process of treatment has not yet
been discovered.
Experiments which I have made have led me to the discovery of the process hereinafter
described.
The turf to be treated is first kneaded or worked up with a certain quantity of
water, the kneading operation being carried on until the turf is completely
disaggregated, the lime is then added in the form of milk of lime, the proportion
by weight of lime for ordinary turf rarely exceeding ten per cent. of that of the turf.
The material becomes flaky whilst the lime disappears, and the material then
assumes a brown colour very different from that of the turf and it is then quickly:
precipitated, leaving the colourless water at the top.
The humus in the turf has entered into combination with the lime and has been
precipitated with this base by means of the water, uniting with all the other materials
entering into the composition of the turf.
A product has thus been obtained which, in composition and physical properties,
corresponds to naturally formed humus and which causes the brown colour of
vegetable soil. The humus formed as above described and which may be called
precipitated humus has now only to be separated from the colourless water and a:
product is obtained which is very homogeneous and adapted to form a regularly.
prepared manure. It is now only necessary to separate the humus by filtration.
If the precipitation is complete, the water forming the filtrate is quite colourless and
does not form any precipitate on the addition of lime.
My precipitated humus may be dried without heating it, or by heating it to a
moderate temperature in order not to affect its action as a fertilizer. The dried
product is pulverized, the colour being of a lighter brown than that of the wet
substance.
The line contained in the precipitated huvius in the proportion necessary for
effecting the entire precipitation appears to be sufficient for the nitrification of the
nitrogen.
The lime employed may contain other useful materials, such as magnesium or
phosphate and may then serve to introduce into the humus a substance to be stored
and given up to plants when they require it.
The precipitated humus may, after being dried, be supplied with a mixture of
superphosphate of lime or of potassium salts so as to form a perfect manure..
For instance when precipitating, sulphate of lime or calcined gypsum may be

page_text: added to the milk of lime, mixed and added at the same time as the lime. The
humus precipitated with lime and as a sulphate is very homogeneous.
Dated this 23rd day of March 1896.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.
CAUSE anulature of manure.
I, NAPOLÉON FRÉDÉRIC BOURGEOIS DE MERCEY, of La Faloise (Somine), in the
Republic of France, Geologist, 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 :-
My invention has for object the production upon a commercial scale, by chemical
precipitation, of a product analogous to natural humus, thus realizing the synthesis of
hamus, so as to furnish this precipitated humus as a valuable element of manure for
agricultural uses.
In order to enable my invention to be clearly understood I will explain the precise
meaning of the word "humus." The name humus correctly designates the
characteristic element of vegetable earth which contains, besides the nineral elements
of the soil, a small percentage of this element. This humus is a true saline substance,
a result of the combination of humic acid produced by the decomposition of dead
organic matter (especially vegetable matter) with the bases of the soil, particularly
with lime.
This combination which takes place slowly, but continuously, on the surface of
calcareous soils, more or less completely ceases on the surface of soils in the composition
of which lime is more or less deficient. Then, the humic acid matter, formed of
hydrates of carbon in which the proportion of carbon exceeds that of water with an
excess of hydrogen, constitutes what is called vegetable mould which becomes thus
formed by contact with the air.
When this decomposition takes place under water, the oxidising action resulting
from the decomposition becomes very slow; the proportions of the humic substances
formed no longer remain stationary on account of the permanent disappearance of
their principles in a gaseous state, and the products of the decomposition of the
vegetable matter accumulate to a thickness which is often considerable, forming,
according to the more or less advanced state of decomposition reckoning from the
surface, what is known as turf and peat.
It is incorrect to designate, as is too often done, by the name of humus the
substances formed in the manner just now explained, and which should properly be
called mould and turf or peat, these being classed as humic substances not yet
entered into combination with the bases of the soil.
This error has greatly hindered the proper understanding of a subject so important
in agriculture as humus which, in its true acceptation, constitutes the regulating
element of the fertility of the land, whilst the uncombined acid matter, the designation
of which by this name should be carefully avoided, is not, of itself, fertilising.
Humus has been recognised as useful, not only for its chemical properties in feeding
plants with carbon, in assisting nitrification and in facilitating the solution of
phosphates, but also for its physical properties, such as its absorbing power and the
double quality which it possesses of lightening the soil and rendering it cohesive.
The presence of humus in the soil is indispensable in order that the land may be
cultivable; its proportion generally determines the agricultural value of the soil; it
has been well proved that the exhaustion of the soil of huinus and consequently of
carbon constitutes the principal cause of decrease of fertility.
All these reasons justify the care taken by agriculturists to produce the material

page_text: which will furnish them with humic matter, that is to say, dung, but the mere¹
introduction of this material into the soil does not cause it to combine with the bases in
The hummus in this material is
the soil in a sufficiently complete and rapid manner.
besides very insufficient in quantity.
Turf or peat has been justly considered as the proper substance to be employed in
order to commercially produce humus by its association with lime, but à rational
process of treatment has not yet been pointed out.
In chemically studying peat, soluble salts have been obtained with the alkaline
bases potash, soda and ammonia and, by double decomposition, humate of lime,
which product has heen considered in Germany as a valuable manure for the past
fifty years or more and the very favourable action of which on vegetation has been
since demonstrated by the experiments of many scientists. But the opinion always,
held until now was that the combination of the humic substances of the peat with the
lime took place in such a manner as to escape the observation of chemists and
It was believed also that
necessitated a certain interval of time quite undetermined.
the co-operation of certain agents, such as heat or acids, was useful. No data have
been given as regards the proportions of substances to be employed.
Experiments which I have made led me to the discovery of the following
process:
The turf or peat is first mixed with water so as to make a pulp containing, for
example, a weight of water greater than that of the freshly gathered peat which
itself contains. 85 per cent. of its weight of water.
A milk of lime is also carefully made with slaked lime mixed with water.
These two baths being prepared their mixture is then effected.
Lime will be found therein in a proportion which for ordinary peat. rarely exceeds
10 per cent. by weight in the fresh state.
By agitating this mixture the substance becomes flaked and presents a very
remarkable reaction at the same time that the lime disappears; this flaky substance
which is of a brown colour quite different from that of the peat, becomes rapidly
precipitated leaving the water which floats thereon entirely free from colour.
}
The humic substance of the peat has entered into combination with the lime; it
has been precipitated with this base solely through the medium of water and at the
same time has incorporated all the other materials entering into the composition of*
the peat.
A product is thus obtained which, in its composition as well as in its physical
properties, corresponds to naturally formed humus to which the brown colour of
vegetable mould is due. By synthesis humus is produced which may be designated
precipitated humus" and which it is only necessary to separate from the colourless
water in order to obtain a very homogeneous product capable of furnishing a well
prepared manure material.
The filtration of the precipitated humus can be carried out by means of filter-presses
for example.
If the precipitation has been complete the water of filtration will not form a
precipitate when milk of lime is poured therein.
The drying of the precipitated humus can take place naturally without artificial
heat,
or be effected by subjecting it to a moderate temperature so as not to alter
the substance as a fertilising agent or modify the physical effects which it is
required to produce in the soil. When the product is sufficiently dry it easily
becomes reduced to powder; its colour is a clearer brown than that of the wet
product.
The quantity of lime contained in the precipitated humus is sufficient to saturate
the nitric acid resulting from the oxidation of the nitrogen contained in this
substance or which may be obtained in much greater abundance from the soil in
which a quantity of nitrogen, generally very considerable, is found to have accumulated.
In the nitrification which thus takes place a given weight of lime suffices for the
nitrification of half the weight of nitrogen. The lime employed may contain other
useful materials; it may be magnesian or associated with phosphate of lime,

page_text: serving then to store up an element to be yielded up to the plants according to
their wants.
The precipitated humus can also, after having been dried, be mixed with
superphosphate of lime or with potassium salts, so as to furnish a perfect manure.
By employing milk of lime in the operation of precipitation with the addition
of sulphate of lime or by using plaster of Paris treated with water, I obtain a very
homogeneous precipitated humus mixed with sulphate of lime.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The manufacture of precipitated humus by the combination of the humic acid
in peat with lime as a base, solely with the aid of water, with which the peat and
lime are treated and a product precipitated which incorporates all the substances
entering into the composition of the peat, so as to effect by synthesis the production
of a manure which, in its composition as well as in its physical properties,
corresponds to naturally formed humus, substantially as described.
2. The manufacture and use of the improved manure either alone or mixed with
other manure materials the whole being prepared substantially in the manner
hereinbefore described.
Dated the 7th day of September 1896.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: The saturator, when employed, is placed upon the tank G in such a manner
that it is subjected to the heat radiated from the lamp flame, a convenient position
being at the back of the apparatus near the outlet pipe C which may be con-
nected to it in any suitable manner the outlet pipe of the saturator being connected
to the lantern blow-pipe.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. The generating tube adapted to be moved by gravity so as to expose fresh
portions of its surface to a source of heat, in combination with the mechanism
for controlling the intermittent descent of the generating tube, the said
mechanism being operated by the movements of the gas reservoir substantially
as set forth.
2. The generating tube composed of or lined with non-oxidizable material,
substantially as specified.
3. The use of a filter of cotton wool or other suitable material through which
the oxygen is caused to pass on its way from the retort or generating tube to the
lantern or other place of consumption, for the purpose specified.
4. The audible signal device operated by the descent of a portion of the bellows
reservoir, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
5. The use of a saturator in the generator near the lamp flame or other source
of heat by means of which the oxygen is generated, for the purpose specified.
6. The blocks on cakes of oxygen yielding substance painted with asbestos paint
for the purpose specified.
7. The combination with the apparatus referred to in the first claiming clause
of the means for diminishing or increasing the flame when the generation of gas is
excessive or insufficient, substantially as described.
8. An apparatus for the manufacture of oxygen gas constructed substantially
as described with reference to the accompanying drawings, and operating as
specified.
Doted this 22nd dave of Ianua 1907
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.