The Third Part of the Prosperity of Germany

Part Three.

Human or animal urine must be poured again onto this chamber, once it has been completely dried, so that it may draw new humidity from it. We easily observe this happen when we know it is constructed from horse or cow manure, by no means from lime alone, as it does not receive humidity so readily and easily as it does when manure is mixed with it. The wetted chamber, by the power of the fire placed underneath, which can also be increased a little for the augmentation of the chamber itself regarding its thickness, must be reduced to dryness. Note: It must be carefully attended to that the fire placed underneath is not increased too much, and thus damage is brought upon the chamber itself. Rather, it should always be of such a quantity as suffices so that the chamber is gradually dried. Otherwise, the manure would be scorched, and the saltpeter already generated would be corrupted, since fire can very easily cause damage to saltpeter.

But after we have frequently moistened the stated vaults with urine, and have noted that they attract nothing more from it, as they are already filled with the salt of urine, which can be accomplished in the space of about 4 or 6 weeks, a particle must be taken from the vault in various places with an iron instrument. It must be pulverized, dissolved in water for the lye, filtered, and once the proper evaporation has been done, it must be crystallized and dried. The dried salty material must be placed on the fire, so that it may be clear whether it catches flame or not. If we have observed this, then like