[Terrapreta] The Reason for Pottery Shards in Terra Preta. Re: Char and compost ( was Char made made under pressurized conditions? )

[Michael Bailes]

I think the Chinese originally made saltpetre to make gun-powder from pig
urine
(One of the world's worst jobs?)

> One of the oldest *sources* of saltpeter for *gunpowder* manufacture was
> animal and human *urine*. Ammonia liberated from the *urine* would seep
> through the porous


http://books.google.com.au/books?id=MiwpFtTdmjQC&pg=PA254&lpg=PA254&dq=pig+urine+source+of+gunpowder&source=web&ots=g2s8U0Q3qk&sig=54MQtuDLCyuqedL6mHSuNJF3ohQ&hl=en



There are an awful lot of shards in TP, big and small
(With luck, see attached photo?)
Could not they also provide shelter for wee beasties + my mulching to
prevent soil erosion from heavy daily tropical rain?
MA
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