78 
THE SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
BOMMER’S MANURE. 
The claims of Mr. George Bommer to the 
discovery of a process, by which masses ot ve- 
getable and other matter can be readily and 
cheaply converted into manure of the most fer- 
tilizing qualities, has attraeted mueh attention 
in tlie agricultural woild, for the last twelve 
months. We were disposed at finst to ridicule 
it, as one of the numerous humbugs of the day; 
we never doubted the value, if we could have 
been assnreLi of the authentieit}', ol the disco- 
very. When, therefore, we were at the North 
last fall, and heard Mr. Bommer spoken of as a 
scientific gentleman, and any thing but the char- 
latan we had imagined him to be, we were in- 
duced to inquire farther into a subject which 
was likel}" to prove so interesting to our readers. 
We met with many who had purchased the 
right, and who anticipated the most beneficial 
results, but with none who had had an opportu- 
nity of reducing the experiment to practice. — 
After our return, attracted by various favorable 
notices in the northorn papers, we w'ere request- 
ed frequently by our subscribers to ascertain the 
particulars of method, price, &c. Accordingly, 
we opened a corre.spondeiicewithMr. Bommer, 
the result of which is, that he has appointed us 
his agents for the State of Virginia, and wm are 
now prepared to dispose of the right of using 
this invention, with full and particular direc- 
tions, upon the terms indicated below. 
Manure is the farmer’s sheet anchor, and he 
who affords facilities, whereby its production 
may be increased, is certain!}' in a lair way to 
rival him “who caused two blades of grass to 
grow where only one grew before.” But the 
increase of quantity is not all; the capability of 
getting up a pile of manure in a few days, just 
where it is wanted, presents advantages almost 
incalculable in its consequences. The foreign 
substances (by w'hich we mean those that the 
farmer would have to purchase,) necessary to 
convei’i. one thousand of stra.v into four thou- 
sand of manuie, wall not co.st more than fifty 
cents. 
We make the following extract from Mr. 
Bommer’s statement with respect to his inven- 
tion: — 
“This invention is the fruit of many years of 
exertion and chemical labor, and the result of 
repeated and various experiments. 
The secret of the invention to make the ma- 
nure, is accurately described and specified in 
my method secured by patent. The preparation 
of said manure is very simple and eas}', and 
every farmer, by following my method, can ex- 
actly count upon certain success. 
We may, therefore, abandon for the future, 
the partial use and application of every kind of 
merely stimulating manure, .such as lime, plas- 
ter of Paris, ashes, &c. 
The merit of my method essentially consists 
in the following important points: 
1. In being able to reduce in a .short time all 
kinds of straw and ligneous weeds to a rich, 
unctuous and durable manure, such as wheat 
straw, barley, rye, buckwheat and other black 
grains; stalks of Indian corn, rice and other 
plants; dried or green potato tops, tops, leaves, 
.stalks and roots of all kinds of plants; green or 
dried seeds, green rushes, sea weeds, sea rush- 
es, heather broom, stubble, in fact, every thing 
belonging to the vegetable kingdom, and a great 
man)' other things lying about farms which are 
often allowed to go to waste. Even the ground 
itself may be converted into the best manure or 
compost. 
2. In the combination or alliance of fecunda- 
ting substances, the use of which when separa- 
ted, would not and could not produce the desired 
effect. 
3. In the production of a very considerable 
quantity of factious water, Avhich, when com- 
bined wdth other ingredients, forming lees, fur- 
nishes the farmer with a fertilizing liquid, the 
commixture of w'hich in either vegetable or mi- 
neral substances, gives a manure of the richest 
kind. 
4. In the production of a quantity of nitrate 
of lime and caustic potash; of ammonia and 
saltpetre — four substances which modern che- 
mistry has found to contain the most fecunda- 
ting properties possible. 
N. B. Nitrate of lime and caustic potash are 
formed by the mixture of ingredients compo- 
sing the leese, as chemical analysis will easily 
demonstrate. Ammonia and saltpetre are pro- 
duced by the lees combined with hydrogen and 
azote thrown off by the high fermentation of 
the ma.ss. The existence of the first is made 
Icnown to the senses by the strong smell ol am- 
monia w'hen the heap is opened. 
From all this it is clear that my method, em- 
ployed on farms, offers the following advanta- 
ges:— 
1. That those w’ho have straw' will be able to 
change the same into manure immediamly after 
the crop is housed, or at any required time. — 
Those w'ho have not straw may use any green 
or dry substance instead; and that those who 
have neither straw' nor the substance above 
mentioned, may change the very soil itself into 
a very good earth manure, and in any spot they 
may choose. 
2. That a farmer can make with the greatest 
ease, in a few days, earth manure, or compost, 
wirich w'ill answer all the purpo.ses of animal 
manure, and excel in their fecundating proper- 
ties all other ordinary composts, w'hich by other 
means can be had hardly in one year, more fre- 
quently only in three years. That this earth 
manure may be used in the spring to quicken 
the grow'th of seed that has suffered from the 
rigors of the winter; to manure wheat previous- 
ly sown without manure; it will be a great ben- 
efit in planting Indian corn; for top dressing of 
artificial and other meadow's; it is of the great- 
est use in gardens, mulberry and other fruit 
trees, keeping at once the ground moist and 
producing rapid vegetation. 
3. That the farmer wdll have the advantage 
of being able to make his manure heaps when, 
w'here and as he pleases; he will be able to 
open them when they are in heat wdlhout losing 
any of the fecundating moisture. 
4. By means of the lees, which this method 
W'ill inform him how to make, it will be easy 
for him to give to his farm yard manure more 
invigorating properties, and he may increase its 
bulk at pleasure. Farm yard manure, in fact 
should be used only as the leaven to make the 
different heaps required. 
5. By the great quantity of moisture entering 
into the materials, the w'eight of such of them 
as are dry, will be increased fourfold; that of the 
others is more than doubled. 
6 . This method enables the farmer to control 
entirely his manure heaps; that is to say, he 
will be able to make them in all their parts 
equally good and fertilizing. The lees, w'hich 
distribute the saline and soluble particles in a 
regular and uniform manner, w'ill produce an 
even crop throughout the field. 
7. By the high degree of heat to which in 
that course of making it attains, the germina- 
ting pow'er of all weeds found in the materials 
thus submitted to decomposition will be utterly 
destroyed. Hence manure made after after this 
method never re -produces weeds. 
8 . The farmer will also be able to graduate 
his manure. He may have it of any degree of 
strength he wishes. This will enable him to 
forward the growth of plants in a manner hith- 
erto unknown. 
9. By means of manure thus graduated at 
will, market gardeners will have their produce 
much earlier in the market than heretofore. — 
They will be able also to heat their hot-beds 
anew by means of the lees without disturbing 
the frames. 
10. In fine, the leese by which the manure is 
made, are prepared cold and without any previ- 
ous chemical preparation; the majority of the 
ingredients may be found at hand on almost 
every farm, and cost nothing; and water, which 
is the basis of the system, is of no more expense. 
All here concur to render the method truly eco- 
nomical. Such are the {»incipal gromids on 
W'hich the system is recommended. 
My method rests solely upon facts which are 
the results of numerous experiments. 1 have 
explained it in simple terms, without making 
use of any technical expre.ssions; it is as easy 
to understand as to put in practice. Thus clear- 
ly and simply detailed, I present it to the ;-'-t iic, 
having proved, by repeated public exper ents 
in presence of enlightened farmers, tha: til I 
have said is true, and that the advantage ic be 
derived from its adoption are real and not vis- 
ionary. 
To conclude — as this method is my pro; erty, 
secured to me by patent, I hereby give n ice, 
that the pamphlets of my “Method,” ; j ail 
.signed in my own hand wilting, and seals., , nd 
can be obtained only of my.self or my a- nts, 
authorized for this purpose, and that evei , me- 
thod circulated or sold by any other per:b(.ns, I 
declare false and counterfeit. 
To facilitate the purcba.se of the Meth'^ v the 
price is fixed at the follotving exceedingl , mo- 
derate rates: 
For gardens of any extent y 8 
For farms, under 2l)0 acres lO 
“ “ from 200 to 400 acres 5 
“ “ over 400 acres .0 
“ plantations of any extent :^5 
For this small sum, the method becom 5 ; the 
property of the purchaser, for his own use for- 
ever. 
The application of this system is very simple, 
and the process plainly explained in my meth- 
od; but if any one of the purchasers should 
meet with any difficulty in its application, or 
should not realize the results that this method 
offers, they may apply to me for the instructions 
necessary in order to a complete succe.ss in the 
operation. If there should be a final failure, 
which has never yet occurred, the purchase 
money shall be restored. 
George Bommer. 
The following commendatory notice of -this 
valuable discovery, is from Professor Eli Ives, 
M. D., one of the Vice Presidents of the United 
Slates Agricultural Society: 
“I have examined the pamphlet ol Mr. Bom- 
mer on the subject of manufacturing manure. 
His method is founded on correct philosophical 
principles, agreeable to those recently advanced 
by Liebig. If the farmers can be induced to 
purchase the right, and thoroughly execute his 
plan of making manure, in my opinion, it will 
very much increase the value of their farms. 
E. Ives. 
The Connecticut Farmers’ Gazette for De- 
cember, published at New Haven, contains the 
following certificate: 
“1 hereby certify that, having made repeated 
trials of Mr. George Bommer’s method of mak- 
ing manure by fermentation, and having tested 
its effects in the rapid decomposition of the mass 
to W'hich it has been applied, and having also 
witnessed the influence of the manure made by 
this process, in promoting the growth of vege- 
tation, I am prepared to regard the invention as 
an important accession to the farming interest; 
and, although, having tried othermodes of mak- 
ing manure W'ith varied success, I am free to 
acknowledge that I have never been acquainted 
W'ith any system of the kind that would com- 
pare with this for utility. 
Erastus Dudley. 
The editor adds — “We are well acquainted 
with Mr. Dudley, the author of the above certi- 
ficate, and we know' him to be a man of sterling 
integrity. He is an intelligent farmer, and not 
likely to be imposed upon by every 'new thhig. 
Inasmuch as he has tried Mr. Bommer’s meth- 
od, *and gives his unqualified testimony in its 
favor, w’e have no hesitation in commending 
his statement to the confidence of the public.” 
Certificates from intelligent farmers might be 
greatly multiplied, bttt w'e consider them unne- 
cessary . — Southern Planter. 
