Specification of Edward Taylor : treating excreta, &c. for manufacturing manure.

  • Taylor, Edward, 1959-
Date:
1872
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Specification of Edward Taylor : treating excreta, &c. for manufacturing manure. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Provisional Taylor's Impts. in Treating Excreta, 8fC. for Manufacturing Manure. and ten parts of commercial alum (either potash or ammonia alum). I place beneath each closet seat a receptacle containing a small quantity of the above compound, in which the. faeces and urine are collected, the vessels being removed weekly or more frequently if required; an important feature of my process being the retardation of fermentation 5 of the excreta, so as to prevent it from fouling the atmosphere, and from being depreciated in value as a manure, which is effected by frequent removal of the receptacles prepared as above directed. The cinders, ashes, and refuse from the houses are in like manner collected in tubs or other receptacles, and removed to the same depot as 10 the excreta, where they are sifted, separating the cinders, refuse, vegetable matter, and the fine ash. The vegetable matter is burnt, and its ash and the fine coal ash are used for the purpose of my Invention, while the coarser portions are employed for other purposes. The fine coal and vegetable ash is mixed with the excreta from the prepared recep- 15 tacles, after which sulphuric acid is added to the mixture, and this is allowed to remain in a heap, say, for seven days, whereupon it must be examined from time to time, and if the heat produced gives any appear¬ ance of charring the whole heap should be turned over* and he again examined in, say, three or four days time, and such turning over he 20 repeated if required. The heap is then allowed to stand for about seven days longer, after which it may he passed through a screen so as to insure perfect mixing. It is then a damp powdery manure, containing all the constituents of the feces and urine, except a large portion of the water. 25 The proportions of the ingredients which I prefer to employ for pro¬ ducing the manure in a state ready for sale would be about 12 cwts. of fine ash, to 24 cwts. of excreta, and 45 lhs. of sulphuric acid. I do not however limit myself either to these proportions nor to the precise mode of mixing the ingredients and turning over of the compound as 30 above described. The peculiarity of my process being the admixture of the sulphuric acid and the ashes without the use of fire heat, and without mechanically separating the urine, as by the condensation and heat produced by the action of the sulphuric acid on the excreta and ashes a considerable portion of the watery particles are evaporated, while another 35 portion is absorbed in the formation of the sulphates produced by the use of the sulphuric acid. Thus whatever lime, ammonia, magnesia, or soda is present, each would require its equivalent of water to form the