MANUFACTURE  OF   AMMONIA,  ETC. 
37 
niac  obtained  from  it  by  the  usual  processes;  the  oxide  of  iron  is 
added  to  the  ammoniacal  solution  next  operated  upon. 
If  sulphate  of  iron  and  sulphuric  acid  are  used,  sulphate  of  am- 
monia is  the  ammoniacal  salt  produced,  the  chemical  changes  and 
operations  being  similar  to  the  above.  In  Doctor  Wilton  Turner's 
patent  of  December  24,  1846,  he  directs  that  the  urate  of  ammonia 
contained  in  guano  be  converted  into  allantoin,  oxalic  acid  and 
urea.  The  allantoin  is  capable  of  being  decomposed  into  oxalic 
acid  and  ammonia,  by  being  boiled  with  a  solution  of  any  caustic 
alkali  or  alkaline  earth.  The  oxalic  acid  unites  with  the  alkali 
used,  whilst  the  ammonia  passes  over,  and  may  be  collected  as 
liquor  ammonise.  Ammonia  may  also  be  obtained  from  the  urea 
above  mentioned,  by  boiling  it  in  a  still  with  milk  of  lime,  when 
it  is  decomposed  into  carbonic  acid,  which  unites  with  the  lime, 
and  ammonia  which  passes  into  the  receiver. 
In  the  specification  of  his  patent  of  August  11,  1846,  Mr.  Hills 
describes  his  mode  of  obtaining  sesquicarbonate  of  ammonia  from 
guano.  To  effect  this,  the  guano  is  first  mixed  with  charcoal  or 
powdered  coke,  the  mixture  is  then  heated,  and  the  sesquicarbonate 
of  ammonia  obtained  by  sublimation. 
Ammonia  from  Urine. — Stale  urine  is  also  a  source  of  ammonia. 
The  urea  of  the  urine  undergoes  decomposition,  with  the  formation 
of  ammonia.  By  the  addition  of  sulphuric  or  muriatic  acid,  sul- 
phate or  muriate  of  ammonia  may  be  obtained.  It  is  on  account 
of  the  ammonia  contained  in  stale  urine,  that  this  substance  is  em- 
ployed in  the  scouring  of  wool  and  woollen  cloth. 
Ammonia  from  Peat. — Mr.  Hills,  in  his  patent  of  August  11th, 
1846,  specified  the  following  method  of  obtaining  ammonia  from 
peat.  The  peat  is  placed  in  an  upright  furnace  and  ignited  ;  the 
air  passes  through  the  bars  as  usual,  and  the  ammonia  is  collected 
by  passing  the  products  of  combustion  through  a  suitable  arrange- 
ment of  apparatus  to  effect  its  condensation.  This  plan  of  obtain- 
ing ammonia  from  peat  appears  to  be  precisely  similar  to  that 
patented  by  Mr,  Rees  Reece  (January  23d,  1849,)  and  made  to 
form  an  important  feature  in  the  operations  of  the  British  and  Irish 
Peat  Company.  The  first  part  of  Mr.  Reece's  patent  is  for  an  in- 
vention for  causing  peat  to  be  burned  in  a  furnace  by  the  aid  of  a 
blast,  so  as  to  obtain  inflammable  gases  and  tarry  and  other  pro- 
duets  from  peat.    For  this  purpose,  a  blast  furnace,  with  suitable 
