The Hartlib Papers

                              Mr Worsly's Secret of

                                   Salt-Peter./

               De Nitro

             Theses, quædam

It is found by Experience, that the Vpper-part or surface of the Earth in all parts of the World (if pure and vnmixt from any Mineral juice or lapidescent succ) naturally breedeth and putteth forth Salt-peter.

     This Thesis needs no other Evidence then the consideration of the common and familiar Way of making Salt-Peter in Barbary and the East-Indies, where they oft digg the Earth that is sub dio or in the open ayre and commonly where a place is much trod on and hindred from putting forth plants, they neuer faile of Salt-Peter. Wee ourselves also and all that digg for it or make it in Fraunce Germany or any other place, finde it in the vpper crust of the Earth constantly and no where else, so that this first is vnquestionable.

                    2.

Natures intent in the breeding of Salt-Peter in the Vpper Surface of the Earth is for the generation of Plants and by them for the præservation of Animals.

This which is the maine Thesis and therfore most of all requireth the cleering is thus prooued

     Wee laid it as a ground vpon the practice of all Countries in all parts of the World, that make it and in our owne kingdome it is neuer found but in the surface of the Earth.

Now no truth more certaine then that God or Nature doth nothing in vaine. Nature therfore constantly breeding of it, and neuer any where but there, must haue a constant intention to vse it and for the vse of it in that place.

     And that this Vse is for the multiplying of Vegetables certainly and only may many wayes bee certainly proued.

1.     This place viz. the vpper surface of the Earth and no other is the seat and place of nourishment for Vegetables.

2.     All Plants haue their seat, and nourishment altogether heere, so nothing else but Plants are fed or generated heere and therfore if not for their vse it would bee for no vse.

3.     Which is further confirmed by the being of it much spent exhausted and consumed where Plants and Vegetables doe grow.

4.     It is found in store or plenty in places trod frequented and shaded where vegetables doe not grow or are by these meanes hindred from growing.

5.     It is found by certain and frequent experience that Salt-Peter is the very soule of Vegetation as may appeare by Corne or Seedes steeped in Water [catchword: mix-]

mixed with Salt-Peter, which by several trials is found to bee the best imbibition of any. As also by all the Earth rich in Salt-Peter, which is found fatter and richer in Spirit, then any other Compost in the World made by what Art soeuer, which is further confirmed by the manner of Vegetation or Germination, which consists in the dissolution and apposition of Salt or any Salinous matter.

There is nothing that serveth for, or is good to manure enrich or fructify ground, but is good also to breed and to yeeld Salt-Peter. And by how much the richer Experience findeth any thing to bee in the yeelding of vegetative spirit, by so much the more plentifully hath Experience found it to containe Peter.

     As may witnesse Mans Vrine and Dung Blood of Beasts, Lyme Pidgeon-dung Loame of Wools and the like, which are the best of all other to enrich ground and doe most plentifully yeeld Salt-Peter.

     Dove Cotts Stables Vaults Hogs-sties and Sheepe-Cotts and old rubbish of Loame and Walls being all sought after for the digging of Peter both in our owne Countrie and elsewhere.

E contra There is nothing in the World that yeeldeth Salt-Peter, but it will fructify Land and those things that are richest in Salt-Petter are best for Land.

This is proved by Experience. For what Salt-Peter Men covet for their vse the same Gardners labour to procure for their vse.

8.     It is certaine that Salt-Peter hath Parts Volatill, inflammable and spirituous and parts fixed exceedingly causticke fiery and wonderfully detersive

          It is found by 1000s of Experiments that all Plants likewise containe in them a Salt, which Salt hath parts inflammable Volatil and spirituous, which is the Subject of fire and combustion and parts that are fixed Caustick and detersiue, which is that part which lieth in the ashes. This is plaine in euery one, and will bee demonstrated in Sugar itselfe.

9.     The Salt that is found in all Vegetables and in all Animals nourished by Vegetables is reducible or convertible againe into Salt-Peter.

That this is true though not comonly obserued may bee manifested also by 1000 of Experiences. First that Vrine and Dung is Salt. That they are the putrified Parts of those things, which Animals did first feede on and eat; that the Saltnesse therfore of them. viz. of Vrine and Dung is the Salt of those esculent things before taken in, no man so ignorant or vn-intelligent as to deny.

   Now that Horse-dung if kept dry will in time breed Salt-Peter, and the Earth vnder Horse-dung also is rich in Salt-Peter Experience hath often found. That Pidgeons Dung Sheepe-dung and Hogs-dung will doe the like, wittnes the digging vp of Pidgeon Houses Hogsties and Sheepe-Cotts for it. That Mans [catchword: dung]

and Vrine will yeeld it witnesse the familiar practice in diverse places of making Salt-Peter out of Vaults buried and covered. That the Vrine of Horses and Cowes will yeeld Salt-Peter wittnesse the digging vp of Stables, where Salt-Peter is also found plentifully.

But this Salt-Peter made of this dung and Vrine can bee no other then by reason of that Salt, which is in all Vrine and dung; which Salt Wee before proued to bee the Salt of Vegetables, and because that Cowes Horses Pidgeons Hoggs Man and the rest eat almost of all sort of Vegetables that therfore the Salt of all Vegetables is convertible into Salt-Peter is demonstrated which was the thing to bee prooued.

  That the Salt of Animals is also convertible into Salt-Peter is plain First from Reason because Animals being nourised by Plants haue the same Constitutive Parts according to that Axiome Ex quibus alimur constamur. 2. from Experience because the Blood of any Beast is very rich in Salt-Peter and easily converted. 2ly Graves yeeld planty of it. 3d. shavings of horne hoofes leather and haire buried yeeld plentifully of it.

                    10.

The making and digging for Peter in all Countries and in all Ages doth confirme this.

For .1. It is neuer found in any Earth at all but where Vegetables doe not grow as in Cellars Ware-houses Bake-houses and the like.

2. neuer found so plentifully as where Vegetables or Animals haue beene putrified as in Stables Dove-houses Graves and the like.

3. neuer made but of Earth mixt with Vegetables or Animals putrefied as of Vaults Blood Vrine Tartar and the like.

And it is to bee obserued that vnlesse it were in some of these Earths or on Walls Salt-Peter was neuer yet found.

                         11.

The best Grounds not manured vpon the long producing of Plants will spend all this substance and at lenght grow barren.

That Grounds do grow barren by the expence of this is plaine because if laid fallow that it might haue time to generate this, or if manured by things containing virtually this it groweth Rich againe

          Thus is the 2d Thesis sufficiently

               cleered and proued

                    3.

It is found by the certainty of Experience that all such Earth as is once imprægnated or enriched with [catchword: a]

nitrous Spirit, ceaseth not to generate and multiply itself vpon all such fit matter as shall bee apposed to it, prouided shee bee not hindred.

     This is the condition of all Natural Bodies and is here found true by common Experiments.

First it is found that the Earth vsed and washed by Salt-Peter Men after buried will grow rich againe.

Secondly it is found that Ground that hath a long time beene troden and layen covered; that Stables Dove-houses Sheep-cotts Hogs-sties Graves and Places where Vaults and rubbish haue beene buried, are of all other the richest evidently shewing Nature hath increased her Store by the apposition of these matters.

                    Thesis 4th

Nature is hindred in the Generation or Multiplication of it either by too much moisture or by too much exclusion of the heat of the Aire and the Sun, or by anticipating its due time or by the continual springing of Common Salt, or of some Mineral or Lapidescent juyce or by the germination or production of Plants.

   That moisture spoileth the breeding of Salt-Peter if it bee too much every Salt-Peter Man can tell and common Reason discerne; for it washeth away the Matter.

   That the exclusion of Warmth and the Sunnes heat is bad is plaine because in close Cellars there is neuer so much Peter found as in Places more free and open and without there bee plentiful of putrefied matter.

   That it must lye a time needeth no dispute. The rest is plaine. For Mineral juyces kill the Spirit and Plants spend it.

                    Thesis 5th

Salt-Peter as it is of a double Nature and different Parts, so it is constituted of a double Matter of a fixt and common salt mixed with an Aetherial heat and spirit.

  That the Matter of Salt-Peter is Double first a fixt salt. 2ly an ætherial spirit is thus prooued.

1. by the taste which is Salt.

2. by the boiling of which always bringeth forth Common salt mixed with it.

3. because it is easily fixed.

4. because Lyme will so plentifully breed it which is very <Salt>

   That it hath a Spirit Aetherial is cleere

1. by it's impetuousnesse

2. Combustiblenesse neither Lime nor other Salt <which> that generates it being of themselves combustible.

3. by its requiring of time.

   That it hath an Aetherial Spirit is cleere     [catchword: 1.]

1. by its difference from those Salts of which it is generated and whose tast it retaineth, it being impetuous and combustible which these Salts are not.

2. by it's requiring of time.

3. that it is found sub dio.

4. that hot Countries breed it sooner and in greater <quantity then cold.>

               And thus is this Thesis also

5. in that Walls so copiously breed it.

6. from the Salt-nesse of dewes which further the generation of it and in hot Countries is more putrent<potent>.

          And thus is this Thesis also manifested.

                    Thesis 6.

The Way of Generation is with good Earth in a deepe low dry ground exposing and turning of it to the Sune, preventing its being washed away and sub-strating to it a fit and volatil Matter.

This is no other then a Consequence of that which hath beene already proued. That the Sun and the advention of moderate Raine and dewes will accelerate the fermentation and generation of the Matter, is evident by Walles and by the breeding of it sub dio plentifully in all hot Countries. That the Matter substrated is the better by how much the more Volatil is plaine, of which these are the chiefe

     Lyme of Chalke

     Lyme of Stones

     Lyme of Marle

     Fullers Earth.

     Tops and seeds of Plants greene.

     Leaves of Trees.

     Blood of Beasts.

     Vaults.

First lay a lay of the best richest and most nitrous Earth, vpon that a lay of the same thicknesse of Lyme. Then a lay of Vegetables stratum super stratum. At top let store of Lyme or dung lye one foot high, that the Raine may wash downe the Saltnesse of it into the Earth.

       Let your first Earth bee laid 3. foot deepe.

In stead of Vegetables you may vse Blood or Vaults. To the Lyme you may mixe Fullers Earth.

     This is to bee turned once in 3. or 4. Week's. Months./