THE ECLIPSE BONE MILLS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2100, 18 September 1890, Page 3

THE ECLIPSE BONE MILLS.

An industry which may prove of considerable importance to farmers, and the district generally, has been started by Mr Francis Franks in Temuka. It is the manufacture of bone manure, and, as he claims for it excellence which other manures do not possess, and is prepared to sell it at the price which a similar article can be bought in Dunedin, he is likely to be patronised to an extent that will cause the works to develop into large dimensions. The process of manufacture is simple. The bones are first placed in a vat, called the digester, where all fatty matter is melted off, and nothing but the bone is left; then they are put through the crusher, .where they are ground down, after ■-which they go through several processes, and are ultimately mixed with nightsoil, lime, and soot. The main building is 100 ft by 16ft, with asphalted flour. One novel feature of Aihe building is that the main studs of the outside walls are willows deeply planted and projecting above the roof. These are intended to grow and become permanent, so as to resist the effects of a flood, should such occur. The bone yard is well filled with a stock that made us wonder where in the world they all came from. There are two bone mills. '1 he larger one is by James and Son, Cheltenham. This is a massive affair, and tears down the largest bones. The smaller one is by Bradford, London. Then comes a machine consisting of a pair of heavy iron rollers, grooved after the manner of a Cambridge roller. This is to grind down the compound manure and reduce it to powder. The steam engine is an eight-horse power—one of Tuxford’s double cylinders. This is comfortably housed, and works smoothly and well, doing the whole of the crushing with but 251 b of steam. The same: boiler supplies the steam for the digester. This is an iron vat made by John Anderson, of Christchurch, and is steam-tight. In this digester the bones are subjected to a pressure of 251 b of steam for about four hours. This rids them completely of all grease, which, settling down beneath a false bottom, is run off into tanks outside, and, after being cleansed, is sold to the soap-makers. The mixer, or rather the evaporating pan, is an iron cylinder with blades revolving inside after the manner of a pug mill, and is worked by horse power,, with an open fire underneath. Into this pan the nightsoil is emptied, and lime, soot powdered clay, and salt added, which we are told, effectually. destroys al offensive odours and renders the compound sterile and free from deleterious germ life or putrefactive elements —in fad, quite inocuous to public health. This plan of treating sewage is known in England as the Amines process, and has been patented, the patent being now in the hands of the Amines syndicate of Leadenhall Street, London. We mention this particularly because it is a subject which must be interesting to sanitary boards of all our large towns. But to return to the subject more immediately under our notice, it is gratifying to us to witness an industry of so much importance established, as we trust this is, in our district. On our visit we saw samples —in fact, huge heaps of superphosphates, compound manure, and bone dust of various grades, all of which are of ope uniform price, being that charged for similar productions in Dunedin, This

should prove a saving to our farmers, who heretofore have been subjected to heavy freight. The proprietor assures us that his compound manures are the richest in the market, and only desires that they may have a fair trial alongside of the best procurable, either in the colony or elsewhere.