IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF MANURE
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Isaac Brown, of Elm Croft Grange, Edinburgh, North
Britain, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF
MANURE."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Isaac Brown at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th November 1878.
ISAAC BROWN, of Elm Croft Grange, Edinburgh, North Britain.
IN THE PRODUCTION OF MANURE."
"IMPROVEMENTS
My Invention has for its object the production at a cheap rate of a manure
capable of exercising a beneficial chemical action upon the mineral constituents of
land for agricultural purposes, surpassing that obtained by the expensively manu-
factured manurial products, such as superphosphate of lime or similar manures at
present in use.
In carrying out my Invention, in order to effect this object I employ supersul-
phates composed of sulphuric acid and of natural gypsum or sulphate of lime, which
is capable of carrying a large proportion of sulphuric acid in a free state and in a
form admitting of its being conveniently, conveyed from place to place, and suitable
for its being uniformly distributed over the land in order to produce the above
chemical action; or I substitute for gypsum or sulphate of lime any other suitable
salt or medium for conveying and distributing the acid in a free state over the
land, which, when combined with a further proportion of sulphuric acid, forms a
supersulphate to be used for the purposes before mentioned.
By means of my Invention, not only is the requisite amount of sulphuric acid
supplied as the food for the crops but the manure produces a powerful chemical
action upon all the alkalies and alkaline earths of the soil, changing them from
their natural inert condition to more active manurial products, which enhances the
value of the supersulphate manure for agricultural purposes.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Isaac Brown in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 21st April
1879.
ISAAC BROWN, of Elm Croft Grange, Edinburgh, North Britain.
IN THE PRODUCTION OF MANURE."
"IMPROVEMENTS
My said Invention has for its object the production at a cheap rate of a product
or manurial product capable of exercising a beneficial chemical action upon mineral
and organic constituents, and one more powerful upon land for agricultural purposes
than other chemically prepared manures, and surpassing in its effect that obtained
by manurial products at present in use, such, for example, as superphosphate of
lime or similar manures having sulphates in their compositions.
In carrying out my Invention, in order to effect this object I employ what I
designate "supersulphates," the same being composed of sulphuric acid and of natural
gypsum or sulphate of lime, which is capable of carrying a large proportion of
sulphuric acid in a free state as a solid, and in a form admitting of its being more
conveniently conveyed from place to place, and more suitable for its being uniformly
distributed over the land and for the treatment of certain manurial products than
liquid acid, and in order to give greater facilities for the use of sulphuric acid' than
has hitherto been obtained for producing the above chemical action; or I substitute
for gypsum or sulphate of lime any other suitable substance or medium, such, for
example, as peat earth, coal dust, or any equivalent material for conveying and
distributing the acid in a free state over the land or mixing with alkaline substance
or other manurial matter, the said substitute when combined with sulphuric acid
or with a further proportion of sulphuric acid, forming what I term a super-
sulphate or supersulphate manure, to be used for the purposes before mentioned.
When gypsum is employed, I mix sulphuric acid therewith in the proportion of,
say, about one-fourth part by weight of commercial sulphuric acid or as much as it
will carry as a convenient portable substance to about three parts by weight of
gypsum, so as to form what I term a supersulphate. When other salts or media
are used as substitutes for gypsum, as before mentioned, they are combined with
sulphuric acid in a similar manner, the quantity of such salts or media used being
varied in the inverse ratio of the proportion of sulphuric acid which they contain
(when sulphuric acid is present in them). In all cases such a proportion of sul-
phuric acid is used as to produce a substance of a conveniently portable form for
distribution as.a manure and chemical re-agent to soils or manurial products, such as
ground bones, phosphates, guanos, Kainit salt, farmyard dung, or for application to
cow houses, stables and piggeries, but I do not confine myself in the proportion of
acid used to any specific formula.
By means of iny Invention, not only is the requisite amount of sulphuric acid
supplied as the food for the crops but the manure produces a powerful and bene-
ficial chemical action upon all the alkalies and alkaline earths of the soil, changing
them from their natural inert condition to more active manurial products, which
enhances the value of the supersulphate manure for agricultural purposes.
The supersulphate as a re-agent and more convenient portable form of sulphuric
acid than that of liquid acid is of the utmost importance in the preparation of
ground bones, phosphates, guanos, Kainit salt, farmyard and other manures in
changing them into a better condition, and adding to their composition a sulphate
at the least possible cost, thus at all times producing a beneficial effect and rendering
other manurial products more valuable for agricultural purposes.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect, I
would observe in conclusion, that what I consider to be novel and original, and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is,-
The employment as a manure of sulphuric acid in a solid form by the mixture or

page_text: combination with gypsum or other salts or media of sulphuric acid, or of a further
proportion of sulphuric acid, so as to form a product herein designated a super-
sulphate, for use and application substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Isaac Brown, have to this my Specification
set my hand and seal, the Eighteenth day of April, One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-nine.
ISAAC BROWN. (L.S.)