IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREAT- MENT OF CERTAIN SUBSTANCES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF MANURES
Year: 1851

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME OR BE
MADE KNOWN, I, JOHN GEDGE, of Number 4, Wellington Street, Strand,
in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Seventeenth day of
December, in the fifteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said John Gedge, my exors, adiiors,
and assigns, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that
I, the said John Gedge, my exors, admors, and assigns, and such others as I,
the said John Gedge, my exors, aditiors, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the term of years
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within England, Wales, the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, the Islands of
Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney, Sark, and Man, and in all Her said Majesty's
Colonies and Plantations abroad, the Invention or discovery, communicated to
me by a certain Foreigner residing abroad, of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREAT-
MENT OF CERTAIN SUBSTANCES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF MANURES;" in which said
Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said John Gedge, should
describe the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, to be
enrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent, as in and by
the same, reference being had thereto, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, do hereby
declare that the nature of the "Improvements of Certain Substances for the
Production of Manures," and the manner the same is to be carried into effect,
is fully described and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof,
which I effect by certain operations on or treatment of stable litter or dung by
means of chemical composition, so that by the addition of conimon vegetable
substances thereafter mentioned, such compositions act thereon, and, while
producing an increase in quantity, improves the quality of the dung, which is
applicable to every kind of cultivation as a manure of a quality and quantity
superior to any fertilizing agent hitherto known. I will here observe, that the
proportions stated hereafter are those I have found most generally applicable,
but various circumstances, such as the quality of the ingredients
quality of the ingredients or the state of
the stable dung to be operated upon, may render it desirable to vary in some
degree the proportions indicated. With this reservation, I state the best.
chemical proportions are,
Sulphate of ammonia
Sulphate of potash
Sulphate of soda
Sulphate of alumina
Sulphate
Sulphuric acid
-
8 lbs.
12 oz.
-
16
"
10 „
"
-
دو
-
19
25
25
10
"
5 "
-
0
"
"
0
"
"
0 "

page_text: vegetable substance. These articles, if in a green state and full of their own
juices, are used without preparation; but if dry, saturate them well with water
before heaping them on the stable dung. Thus we have two layers of sub-
stances; first, the stable litter or hot dung, then the vegetable substances.
Now, place again a layer of dung, and then another of vegetable matters, as
aforesaid, and continue this operation till either all the litter, &c. is used, or the
heap is as large as required. Observe that the litter in the stable must be well
watered at the time it is being used, as directed, and also the vegetable
matters when dry, as aforesaid. It will be found that to one ton of compost
about eighty gallons of water will be required. The dung heap or compost
being thus formed, fermentation rapidly takes place, and the ammonia is pre-
served and does not escape. In about eight days a temperature of about one
hundred and eighty degrees will become apparent in the whole mass, and this heat,
while assisting the progress of decomposition, destroys the germinating power of
all seeds of weeds, broom, heath, or other vegetables or grain, while ordinary
dung heaps, it is well known, contain large quantities of such seeds which,
being turned into the land with the dung, produce noxious weeds, and do con-
siderable injury to the crops, and eventually, if not eradicated by the labor of
the agriculturist, renders the land foul and profitless. In from fifteen to twenty
days the decomposition is complete, and the dung or compost is ready for use
and of a highly superior quality, the ammonia being preserved, seeds destroyed,
and an additional fructifying power secured, whether for assisting the growth of
grain, fodder, vegetables, vines, trees, bulbous roots, or other vegetation.
Where no vegetable matters are to be added to the stable litter, the sprinkling
thereof with the solution will double its fertilizing properties. I find that about
112 lbs. weight of the combination of chemicals aforesaid, without admixture
with dung, &c. will be sufficient to manure an acre of land, the composition
may be strewed over the land, or which is better, it may be mixed with about
double its quantity of earth or other well powdered substance, and thrown or
sown over the land. The quantity required will, however, be according to the
nature of the land, and settled by experience.
Having now described the nature of the said communication, and process or
processes by which it is carried into practical effect, and having herein-before
mentioned that some variation may be desirable, under peculiar circumstances,
in the aliquot parts given, without departing from the principle of the Invention,
I conclude by claiming,-
66
First, the making manure heaps, commonly called dung-hills," as
herein-before described, using the chemical combination as set forth for that
purpose

page_text: Secondly, the combination of chemical substances herein-before stated to be
used, either alone or mixed with earth or other pulverized substances, as
described, for improving the productive quality of land.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Gedge, have hereunto set my
2
T
Enrolled the Seventeeth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-two.