saltpeter

[baileys]

does anyone know the main source of saltpeter,and also its main use, apart from gunpowder. thanks

[woodchopper]

Hope this helps.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potassium_nitrate

[Clanad]

Nitre, potassium nitrate KNO3, more commonly known as saltpetre, is formed in warm climates by bacterial action during the decomposition of excreta and vegetable refuse. Where people and animals live in close proximity, debris accumulates in and around their homes. The contact between putrefying material, alkaline soil, plant ashes, air and moisture allows 'nitrification' - that is the conversion of nitrogen compounds from animal and plant decay into nitrates which penetrate the soil. Dissolved in rainwater, the deposits evaporate on the surface to form crude saltpetre, as a white flower like powder. This must be washed to remove earth and impurities; then boiled and evaporated to refine it. (Thanks to Bloch Salt Research)

[jake-the-peg]

Guano or bird droppings to you. It has been derrived in the past from numerous recipies all involing droppings from some source of other.

I seem to remember that Newcastle once had a roaring trade in collection of urine from the townsfolk for use in saltpetre production.

I guess Southerners have been taking the pi$$ out of Geordies for a long time!

Saltpetre is also a preservative and is used in many sausage recepies

[heathfield]

This will probably tell you more than you want to know...

[baileys]

thanks for all your help,very interesting stuff, this saltpetre.

[woodchopper]

I knew Saltpetre was used in gunpowder but I never knew it was used in sausage recipes - Is this why they call sausages - Bangers??

[baileys]

lol woodchopper,top stuff