Abstract: An air rooting shell comprises a first shell half mateable with a second shell half to form a shell for enclosing around a branch. The shell comprises a reservoir for containing planting medium and an upper lipped opening that receives the branch and collects and funnels water to the reservoir. A bottom opening is provided through which the lower portion of the branch may exit. Side openings on the shell may be used to enclose a branch in a horizontal orientation, while the upper lipped opening remains vertically oriented to receive water.

Abstract: An automated feeding station feeds an animal in a feeding event. An automated collection system, such as a urine collection system, fecal collection system, or combination urine/fecal collection system, collects and excrement from the animal in an excrement elimination event. The feeding event and excrement elimination events provide insights into the health of the animal.

Abstract: A garden planting aid including a biodegradable ground cover having a plurality of grid spaces formed by spaced horizontal and vertical lines. A first measure tape having a plurality of first indicia; a second measure tape having a plurality of second indicia. The first indicia are associated with columns of grid spaces and the second indicia are associated with rows of grid spaces such that each grid space has a unique designation that includes a first and second indicia. The aid includes a plan designating garden objects that can be placed at the unique designation.

Abstract: A covering for protective collars used to prevent an animal from licking or biting at wounds or injuries (an “Elizabethan collar,” or “e-collar”), is disclosed. The covering is made of a material that prevents the Elizabethan collar from irritating an animal's neck. The covering is easily removed by the animal's caretaker and can be laundered or changed as desired. The covering is sized to accommodate a range of Elizabethan collars.

Abstract: A device and methods for catching, removing from within buildings, and releasing wild birds are provided. Sonic and/or dynamic characteristics of water are utilized as an attractant to lure birds towards a device for capturing birds. The attractant is located within a holding area of the device. The walls of the device are transparent and vented to allow the dynamic characteristics of the water to be seen from outside the device and to allow the sonic characteristics to be heard from outside the device. The device includes an opening that allows birds to enter the holding area of the device and that also prevents birds located within the holding area from exiting the device.

Abstract: A combined retractable leash and ball thrower device for allowing a user to walk a pet and throw a ball using a single device. The device includes a housing featuring a handle, and a leash retracting mechanism enclosed in the housing. An activation element or button is used to operate the leash retracting mechanism, with a portion of the activation element being exterior of the housing. A shaft extends from the handle of the housing, with a ball receiving element located at a distal free end of the shaft. The shaft is integrally formed with the handle or the shaft may be a separate unit removably attached to the handle. The ball receiving element is integrally formed with the shaft or the ball receiving element may be a separate unit removably attached to the shaft.

Abstract: A window-mounted pet viewing system. The system includes at least one base panel having a base and a front portion. The one or more base panels are detachably mounted on a windowsill. When the one or more base panels are mounted, a pet can remain on the windowsill when a curtain mounted on the window area is let down.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a column reactor for producing nitrate nitrogen as an inorganic nutrient from an organic material including: filling a container with a carrier comprising rockwool, vermiculite, pearlite, zeolite, sand, glass, ceramic, urethane, nylon, melamine resin, cedar chips, bog moss, filter paper or agar; adding thereto microorganisms capable of conducting a multiple parallel mineralization by mineralization of an organic material to produce nitrate nitrogen; subsequently adding 0.01 to 20 g in terms of dry weight of an organic material with respect to 1 L of the carrier, the organic material comprising fish-based soluble fertilizer, fish flour, oil cake, raw garbage, corn steep liquor, rice bran, soybean flour, plant residue, milk, powdered milk or livestock manure; and leaving the resultant material at rest until nitrate nitrogen starts to be produced in an effluent during a washing of the carrier by addition of water to discharge the effluent from the carrier.

Abstract: Described are devices and methods for providing protection to plants from cold and other weather. A plant cover or protector is constructed of a translucent or other material, a flexible or bendable material, cut into a two-dimensional blank or shape and provides an easily assembled, self-supporting structure to be placed over one or more plants or a location. The plant protector is erected without the use of tools or need for a separate frame or support. The plant protector may be used with stakes or spikes. The plant protector may be collapsed to a planar configuration. The plant protector may be easily and inexpensively manufactured. The plant protector may be repeatedly used from season to season. A top portion of each plant protector may be easily and quickly closed or opened such as by manual manipulation. The plant protector comprises one or more supports or feet for increased contact with the ground and resilience against wind.

Abstract: A dairy milker unit detacher having a milker unit support arm that resists damage and breakage by incorporating a breakaway mechanism that disengages and then automatically or easily returns the support arm to a functional arrangement when a dairy animal or other force engages the support arm.

Abstract: The system produces beneficial parasites by depositing parasite-infected cadavers adjacent to a filtering device inside an enclosed package. The parasites are then allowed to migrate from the infected cadavers, through the filtering device, and into a parasite-sustaining medium. After the migration is complete, the spent cadavers and the filtering device are removed and the package is closed. In the preferred embodiment, beneficial nematodes migrate through a screen matrix into polyacrylamide gel to create a package of beneficial nematodes.

Abstract: A method of modulating the development stage of strobili growing on a gymnosperm tree comprises: (a) installing a protective covering over one or more strobili bud(s), wherein the type of protective covering is selected to delay or advance strobili development; and (b) maintaining the protective covering over the strobili bud(s) for a time period sufficient to delay or advance the development stage of the covered strobili buds in comparison to the development stage of naturally growing, uncovered, control strobili.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the treatment of plants using electromagnetic fields and consists in applying pulse sequences to growing plants or the seeds thereof in a pulsed electromagnetic field by means of a pulse generator, wherein the individual pulses have a frequency ranging from 1 to 100 Hz and the amplitude of each individual pulse corresponds to an exponential function or the pulses have envelope curves rising and falling in the form of an arc, wherein the individual pulses are emitted in synchronous or asynchronous groups of pulses having different magnetic flux densities, and wherein the plants are exposed to the pulsating electromagnetic field once to 30 times a day for 1 to 120 minutes each time or continuously for several days. Plant growth, germination and yields are significantly increased in an environmentally friendly manner. Resistance to diseases is increased.

Abstract: A planter includes a concave container and a separate rim, both formed from a thermoplastic material. The container has a brim extending radially outward from an upper portion of the container. A vertical wall extends upward from the brim and has exterior flanges and grooves formed on its outer surface. The rim has a top wall with outer and inner side walls extending downward from its edges. Interior flanges and grooves formed on the inner surface of the outer rim wall are configured to engage the exterior flanges and grooves on the outer surface of the container vertical wall such that the rim can be secured onto the upper end of the container. The upper surface of the brim of the container comprises a stop inward of the vertical wall such that when the rim is advanced onto the upper end of the container, a lower portion of the inner rim wall confronts the stop to inhibit further advancement.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing packages of eggs on a conveyor is disclosed which comprises an egg orienter configured and arranged with respect to the conveyor so as to adjust a position of one or more of the eggs in each of the packages so that each of the eggs in a given package assumes a particular orientation within that package. In some embodiments, the egg orienter may be located between an egg loading section and a package closing section of an egg packer. In addition, in some embodiments, the apparatus may further comprise a laser source and one or more optical steering elements configured and arranged to direct laser energy from the laser source so as to laser mark information on a surface of one or more of the eggs while the eggs are in a package disposed on the conveyor and in said particular orientation.

Abstract: A movement monitoring device to monitor and record movement of animals through an aquatic animal passage system, regardless of water turbidity. A housing connected to the aquatic animal passage system has an entrance to receive an animal and an exit for the animal to leave the housing. A ramp within the housing has a lower end and an upper end, and the lower end is positioned at the entrance. A platform within the housing has one end connected to the upper end of the ramp and the other end positioned at the exit. The platform is elevated so that water from the aquatic animal passage system flows underneath the platform, and the animal climbs up the ramp, out of the water, and onto the platform. A photographic system focused on the platform records an image of the animal on the platform out the water.

Abstract: A system for improved organic fishery systems for improved aquatic farming, primarily within inland production sites, primarily using a system of enclosed tanks.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a fabricated landscape architecture system that can simply form landscape architecture of a wall surface or the like. The fabricated landscape architecture system, includes a plurality of support plates (60), a plurality of cultivation boxes (10) and water supply pipes (30). The plurality of support plates (60) are arranged in one or more lines in a vertical or horizontal direction and include a plurality of fastening holes and pipe grooves (13). The plurality of cultivation boxes (10) are formed in the shape of a box of which one surface is open. A plurality of fastening protrusion (25) to be inserted into the fastening holes, pipe grooves (13) positioned so as to face the pipe grooves (13) of the support plates (60) and the assembly holes are formed on the bottom of the cultivation box (10).

Abstract: Fish hiding units are discloses herein, which may comprise a sinkable container comprising at least one open end; a plurality of elongated and substantially flat projection members comprising a body and opposing ends inserted at one end into the open end of the container; and an adhesive substance disposed in the container for attaching the projection members inside the container.

Abstract: In certain embodiments, a system includes a milking parlor entrance lane with an entrance positioned adjacent to a cattle holding pen and an exit positioned adjacent to one or more stalls of a rotary milking platform. The system also includes an exit lane positioned on a side of the entrance lane opposite a forward direction of rotation of the rotary milking platform, the milking parlor exit lane positioned adjacent to one or more stalls of a rotary milking platform such that dairy cows may enter the exit lane from the one or more stalls of the rotary milking platform after being milked. The system also includes a pressure sensor positioned adjacent to the exit lane, the pressure sensor operable to generate a trigger in response to detecting a triggering pressure on the pressure sensor. The pressure sensor is additionally operable to communicate the generated trigger to initiate the stopping of the rotary milking platform.