Abstract: A slow-release nitrogen fertilizer is disclosed employing proteinaceous animal food materials which are stabilized against decomposition and decay for extended periods of time when stored at ambient temperatures. The treated animal food materials are useful as fertilizer compositions, as food supplements or as bait for fish and crustaceans, such as crab. The animal food material is comminuted together to a finely divided state of the consistency of a thick soup with at least 4% by weight, based on the weight of the animal food material, of a polyol having from 2 to 8 carbon atoms and 2 to 6 hydroxyl groups. Edible polyols are used when the end product is to be used as a bait or food supplement. Anti-oxidants and/or mold inhibitors are also preferably added to the animal food material/polyol mixture.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for extracting residual vegetable oil contained in spent bleaching clays used in refining and processing of such oil and for processing the extracted clay for reuse. The spent bleaching clay containing the residual vegetable oil is mixed with water, an organic binder and a plastic clay to form a composition of putty-like consistency which can be formed into particulate solids of suitable size for solvent extraction of the oil. The vegetable oil in the particulate solids is then extracted by solvent extraction with a suitable solvent. The remaining particulate solids with the oil removed may be retorted to produce an activated carbon/clay product useful to lighten the color of the oil being processed, as a filter aid, for water treatment purposes or for other uses where activated carbon is generally used.

Abstract: A process is disclosed to improve the freeze-thaw stability of fish bait, such as herring, by impregnating the fish by vacuum, pressure or a combination of vacuum and pressure with a water soluble, non-toxic glycol to replace a part of the water in the fish with the glycol. The fish bait are subsequently drained and may be packed and frozen for future use.

Abstract: A hotmelt adhesive composition and a method of applying it to bind sheets. The composition comprises by weight 30% to 40% of an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, 25% to 35% of a wax, 20% to 40% of a modified rosin and 10% to 30% of a tackifier. The method of binding sheets comprises aligning the sheet edges, compressing the aligned sheets a short distance from the edges and contacting the edges with the adhesive composition.

Abstract: Wood and/or woody wastes, particularly coniferous woods, are treated to render them suitable as a high energy food for ruminating animals. Comminuted wood or woody wastes are impregnated with a glycol or glycol-ether solvent and a catalyst, and the mixture heated to a temperature of at least 145.degree. C. for a time sufficient to delignify the wood the desired amount and solubilize extraneous components in the wood which are detrimental to the digestibility of the treated wood by the ruminant. The treated wood is then defibrated and the glycol solvent and catalyst extracted from the treated wood and recovered for recycle and reuse. The pulp recovered from extraction is a substantially anhydrous pulp which can be injected with nutrients promoting greater digestibility of the pulp and rehydrated for feeding to the ruminant.