Nitre plantations

During the Napoleonic wars, France had great difficulty in procuring sufficient nitre for the manufacture of gunpowder. This led to the construction of nitre beds or nitre plantations in various parts of the country.18 When the French ports were thrown open, after these wars, the manufacture of nitre, in France, was abandoned because it could be imported more cheaply from India. The process is still used in a few localities—e.g. Sweden. 

In 1775 the Academy offered a prize of 4000 livres for a process for procuring an abundant supply of saltpetre, the announcement being written by Lavoisier. Altogether 66 papers were received and the prize was finally awarded in 1782 to the brothers Thouvenel, who gave a full account of nitre plantations. The material was published in 1786 in one volume by the Academy. ... 

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