New Process for Increasing the Growth of Cereals and their Yield by Means of Bacteria, and a Method for Developing and Conserving the latter on a large scale.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Mar., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Dec., 1897-Accepted, 22nd Jan, 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by ALBERT CARON, of Haus Ellenbach, near Bettenhausen
Cassel, Germany.]
New Process for Increasing the Growth of Cereals and their Yield by
Means of Bacteria, and a Method for Developing and Conserving
the latter on a large scale.
I, HENRY EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 6, Bream's Buildings,
Chancery Lane, in the County of London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Hellriegel and Wilfarth have shown, in 1896, that the leguminous plants growing
in the so-called symbiosis with the root-tubercle-bacteria, are able to assimilate the
free nitrogen from the air.
My foreign correspondent has now found, that certain so-called aerob bacteria
living in the soil, and being quite different from the bacteria above mentioned, are
capable of increasing that portion of the chemically bound nitrogen contained in the
soil which can be assimilated by the plants.
My foreign correspondent has succeeded in isolating from the numerous bacteria
contained in the soil, one species which he terms "Bacillus Ellenbachensis Alpha,"
and which has, in a high degree, the property of increasing, for assimilation, the
nitrogen of the soil to be sown with cereals, and he has further found that it is
superfluous to dress a soil containing great quantities of these bacteria with any
natural or artificial fertilizer.
The above specified bacillus has the following properties. It represents a middle-
sized self-moving little staff. Sometimes these little staffs are in the form of long
chains. The bacillus is capable of producing so-called endogen lasting spores, which
are capable of resisting detrimental actions.
If one of these bacteria be put on a gelatine plate, it first develops to granulous
little roundish colonies, which by and by branch out into the gelatine, then these
little colonies, by growth, become larger ones, surrounded by a dark corona of rays.
Finally the gelatine begins to liquefy, and this process proceeds very quickly. On
developing on potatoes, the bacteria form a dull thick yellowish-white layer, which is
jagged in a characteristic manner. The layer formed on agar-agar is darker and
brighter than that on potatoes. It bears a "pitted" appearance.
If a so-called nutritive broth be impregnated with the bacillus in question, it gets
cloudy after a few days, and subsequently a whitish mouldy film is formed on the
liquid this film rises at the edge of the liquid, whilst a yellowish gray sediment is
separated. After stirring the liquid, the whole mould separates in the form of a
sediment, a film being no longer formed.
For the purpose of treating the fields to be planted with cereals with the described
"Bacillus Ellenbachensis Alpha," different plans can be adopted, according as the
employment of the bacteria in a dry state, or when suspended in a liquid, is
wanted.
When the dressing is to be used in a dry state, the best method is to mix the dry
7

page_text: bacteria with particles of the soil, with artificial fertilizers, or with such nutritive
substances on which the bacillus can-develop, and to strew these mixtures on the
fields in an even manner. Of course, the dry bacteria can also be mixed with
indifferent substances, such as gypsum or the like, and the thus formed powder can
be disseminated before or after the sowing of the corn.
It is, however, more advantageous to use the bacteria dressing in a wet state,
which can be effected in the following manner-The bacteria developed on gelatine,
in broth, or on other so-called nutritive principles, are suspended in a small quantity
of water, and this liquid is poured over the seed-corn. The latter is stirred up, and
thus being thoroughly infected with the bacteria, it is sown in the usual manner.
Naturally, one can also infuse the above named substances with the bacteria in a
state of suspension in water, and after well stirring, supply the soil with the resulting
mixtures.
According to the researches of my foreign correspondent, a soil being thoroughly
infected with the bacteria, according to one of the above plans, or in any other
manner yielding the same result, does not require any artificial fertilizers containing
nitrogen, and nevertheless yields a very good harvest.
The so-called "Bacillus Ellenbacheusis Alpha," when incorporated into the soil,
multiplies at first by millions, but afterwards disappears, according as the fruits
develop.
23
It is not necessary to point out that the above described process for
impregnating the soil with the so-called "Bacillus Ellenbachensis Alpha is of the
greatest importance for agriculture, especially for the production of cereals.
Naturally, for the purposes of agriculture, it is necessary to develop the so-called
Bacillus Ellenbachensis Alpha, and similar bacteria, on a large scale, which, however,
is impossible by cultivating the bacteria on one of the known so-called nutritive
principles, such as gelatine, agar-agar, broth, or the like.
The cultivation of the so-called aerob bacteria, or other micro-organisms, may
be effected on a large scale in the following simple manner:-
Thus, the micro organisms may be cultivated on a nutritive soil of a peculiar,
namely, of crumb-like, structure, by means of which not only a sufficient quantity of
food, but also the air necessary for developing and multiplying, will be afforded to
the micro-organisms.
By choosing a crumb-like structure for the so-called nutritive soil, the aerob
bacteria are enabled to make the best use of the soil. In a fluid nutritive substratum,
they fail to have the air necessary for the highest possible degree of development,
and a solid nutritive soil does not afford a sufficient surface Owing to these facts,
it is therefore possible to produce, on the crumb-like principle, the same number of
bacteria in one hundredth of the volume.
In carrying out his new process, my foreign correspondent proceeds, for instance,
in the following manner :-
Bread is saturated with broth, and the thus obtained pap is crumbled. The mass
is put into suitable small sterilized tubes or phials, and impregnated in the usual
manner with any sort of so-called aerob bacteria; for instance, with the
Bacillus Ellenbachensis Alpba. The tubes are placed in a so-called culture chamber,
and after a short time, the whole nutritive soil is thoroughly infected with the
bacteria, which by-and-by change into spores. In one of the tubes generally used
for the so-called bacteriological purposes, half filled with the above described
crumbs, my foreign correspondent has found 50 milliards of the "Bacillus
Ellenbachensis Alpha."
Of course, one can employ, instead of bread saturated with broth, other suitable
so-called nutritive soils, such as agar agar, gelatine, and the like, after mixing them
with suitable substances, by means of which it is possible to obtain the nutritive
soils above referred to in a crumbled form, or one can employ minced potatoes
having the necessary crumb-like structure. Naturally, one can also mix the crumbled
matters with indifferent substances, no better results being, however, obtained by the
last-named operation

page_text: My foreign correspondent proposes to employ this method, in the first place, for
cultivating ground bacteria, collecting nitrogen, or increasing, in any other manner,
the yield of fruit. But one can also develop on such material all other kinds of
bacteria as well as those which produce so-called spores, as also the so-called root
tubercle-bacteria of the leguminous plants. In all these cases, the present new
method facilitates the cultivation of the valuable bacteria in a bigh degree.
For conserving, in a concentrated state, the bacteria which form spores and
withstand a subsequent drying process, and can be developed in the manner
herein before described, and in order to avoid infection of the so-called pure cultures of the
bacteria by means of other bacteria, mould-fungus, or the like (which infection
would occur in the case of preserving the cultures in a moist state), my foreign
correspondent has found a new method, which consists in drying the bacteria,
together with their crumb-like nutritive soils, at a low temperature.
Experiments have shown that especially the spores of the so-called "Bacillus
Ellenbachensis Alpha," when preserved in this manner, remain for years effective,
and capable of developing.
Naturally, such matters are most fit for the last-named purpose which contain but
little humidity, and can easily be dried, such as bread crumbs, minced potatoes, and
the like.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.
New Process for Increasing the Growth of Cereals and their Yield by
Means of Bacteria, and a Method for Developing and Conserving
the latter on a large scale.
I, HENRY EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 6, Breain's Buildings,
Chancery Lane, in the County of London, Patent Agent, 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:-
Hellriegel and Wilfarth have shewn, in 1896, that leguminous plants growing in
the so-called symbiosis with root-tubercle-bacteria, are able to assimilate free nitrogen
from the air.
My foreign correspondent has now found that certain so-called aerob-bacteria
which live in the soil, and are quite different from the bacteria above mentioned, are
capable of increasing such portion of the chemically bound nitrogen contained in the
soil as can be assimilated by the plants.
My foreign correspondent has succeeded in isolating from the numerous bacteria
contained in the soil, one species which he terms "Bacillus Ellenbachensis Alpha,"
and which has in a high degree the property of increasing (for assimilation) the
nitrogen of the soil in which cereals are to be sown, and he has further found that it
is unnecessary to dress a soil containing great quantities of these bacteria with any
natural or artificial manure.
The above specified bacillus has the following characteristics. It is a medium-sized
self-moving little rod-shaped bacterium, and these little rods are sometimes found in
the form of long chains. The bacillus is of the variety bearing endogen lasting-spores,
which variety is the most capable of resisting injurious influences.
If one of these bacteria be put on a gelatine sheet, it first develops to little roundish
granulous colonies, which by and by branch out into the gelatine; then these little
colonies, by growth, become larger ones, surrounded by a dark corona of rays..

page_text: Finally, the gelatine begins to liquefy, and this operation proceeds very quickly.
On developing the bacteria on potatoes, they form a dull thick yellowish-white
layer, which is jagged in a characteristic manner.
The layer formed on agar-agar is darker and brighter than that on potatoes. It
bears a "pitted" appearance.
If a so-called nutritive broth be impregnated with the bacillus in question, it gets
cloudy after a few days, and subsequently a whitish mouldy film is formed on the
liquid; this film rises at the edge of the liquid, whilst a yellowish gray sediment is
separated. After stirring the liquid, the entire mould separates in the form of a
sediment, a film being no longer forined.
For the purpose of applying the "Bacillus Ellenbachensis Alpha" to the soil to be
planted with cereals, a different plan will be adopted, according to whether the
bacteria are to be employed in a dry or a wet state.
When the dressing is to be used in a dry state, the best method is to mix the
dry bacteria with particles of the soil, with artificial fertilizers, or with some nutritive
substances on which the bacillus can develop, and to strew these mixtures over the
soil in an even manner. The dry bacteria may also be mixed with inert substances,
such as gypsum or the like, and the powder thus formed may be distributed before or
after the sowing of the seed.
It is, however, more advantageous to use the bacteria dressing in a wet state, which
can be effected in the following manner :-the bacteria developed on gelatine, in broth,
or on other so-called nutritive principles, are mixed with a small quantity of water, and
this liquid is poured over the sccd. The seed is then well stirred, and being thus
thoroughly infected with the bacteria, it is sown, in the usual manner. Or, the above-
named substances may be infused with the bacteria in a state of suspension in water,
and after well stirring the resulting inixture may be supplied to the soil.
According to the researches of my foreign correspondent, a soil thoroughly infected
with the bacteria according to one of the above plans, or in any other manner yielding
the same result, does not require any artificial fertilizer containing nitrogen, and
nevertheless yields a very good harvest.
The so-called "Bacillus Ellenbachensis Alpha," when applied to the soil, multiplies
at first by millions, but, as the fruit develops, gradually dis-appears.
It is unnecessary to point out that the above described process for impregnating
the soil with the so-called "Bacillus Ellenbachensis Alpha" is of the greatest
importance for agriculture, especially for the production of cereals.
Naturally, for the purposes of agriculture, it is necessary to develop or cultivate
the so-called Bacillus Ellenbachensis Alpha and similar bacteria on a large scale,
which may be effected by employing a nutritive soil of a crumb-like granular
structure, so that not only a sufficient quantity of food, but also the air necessary for
developing and multiplying, will be afforded to the micro-organisms, and thus the
aerob bacteria are enabled to make the best use of the soil.
In a fluid nutritive substratum, they cannot obtain the air necessary for the highest
possible degree of development, while a solid nutritive soil does not afford a sufficient
surface. With the crumb-like principle, the same number of bacteria may be
obtained in one hundredth of the volume.
In effecting his object, my foreign correspondent proceeds, for instance, in the
following manner:-Crumbled bread is saturated with broth, and the mass is put
into suitable small sterilizer tubes or phials, and impregnated in the usual manner
with any sort of so-called aerob bacteria, for instance, with the Bacillus Ellenbachensis
Alpha. The tubes are placed in a so-called culture chamber, and after a short time
the whole nutritive soil is thoroughly infected with the bacteria, which by and by
change into spores. In one of the tubes generally used for the so-called bacteriological
purposes, half-filled with the above described crumbs, my foreign correspondent has
found 50 milliards of the "Bacillus Ellenbachensis Alpha."
Instead of crumbled bread saturated with broth, other suitable so-called nutritive
soils may be employed, such as agar-agar, gelatine, and the like, mixed with some
suitable substances, by means of which they are presented in the crumb-like form

page_text: above referred to; or minced potatoes having the necessary crumb-like structure
may be employed. Or the crumb-like matters may be mixed with indifferent or
inert substances, but no better results are obtained by this last-named operation.
My foreign correspondent proposes to employ this method, in the first place, for
cultivating ground bacteria collecting nitrogen, or increasing in any other manner
the yield of fruit, but it can be employed with other kinds of bacteria, as well as
those which produce so-called spores, and also the so-called root tubercle bacteria
of the leguminous plants. In all these cases the cultivation of the valuable bacteria
is facilitated in a high degree.
For conserving, in a concentrated state, the bacteria which form spores, and will
withstand a subsequent drying process without destroying their power of development
or cultivation, and in order to avoid infection of the so-called pure cultures of the
bacteria by means of other bacteria, mould fungus, or the like (which infection
would occur in the case of preserving the cultures in a moist state), my foreign
correspondent dries the bacteria, together with their crumb-like nutritive soils, at a
low temperature.
Experiments have shown that especially the spores of the so-called "Bacillus "
Ellenbachensis Alpha," when preserved in this manner, remain for years effective and
capable of developing.
The matters best fitted for the last-named purpose are those which contain but
little humidity, and can be easily dried, such as bread crumbs, minced potatoes, and
the like.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed (as communicated to
me from abroad), I declare that what I claim is :—
1. Cultivating aerob bacteria or other micro organisms on a crumb-like (granular)
culture medium, substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. Producing pure cultivations of aerob bacteria or other micro organisms capable
of withstanding desiccation, in a dry state, by subjecting the bacteria with the culture
medium to a drying process at low temperatures, by which the efficiency of the
bacteria is preserved for years, substantially as above described.
3. In carrying out the process referred to in Claims 1 and 2, the use of such
bacteria as are capable of increasing the growth and the yield of cereals.
4. In carrying out the processes referred to in Claims 1 and 2, the use of the
"Bacillus Ellenbachensis Alpha."
5. The process for dressing the soil to be sown with cereals with such bacteria as
are capable of increasing the growth and the yield of cereals, which process consists
in impregnating or inoculating the soil in a suitable manner with the said bacteria,
either in a dry state, or in a state of suspension in water, substantially as herein before
described.
6. In the process claimed in Claim 5, the use of the "Bacillus Ellenbachensis
Alpha."
7. As new articles of manufacture:
(A.) A crumb-like (granular) culture medium on which pure cultivations of
bacteria, including cultivations of the "Bacillus Ellenbachensis Alpha," have grown.
(B.) The pure cultivations of the "Bacillus Ellenbachensis Alpha," which, while
assimilating nitrogen, increase the amount of nitrogen in a soil inoculated by them,
such bacillus representing bacteria which are medium-sized self-moving little rods of
the variety bearing endozen lasting spores, and which sometimes form long chains,
as set forth.