Joke Tuesday.
MANURE.. An interesting fact
Manure: In the 16th and 17th 
centuries, everything had to be 
transported by ship and it was 
also before the invention of commercial 
fertilizers, so large 
shipments of manure were quite common.
It was shipped dry, because in dry 
form it weighed a lot less than when 
wet, but once water (at 
sea) hit it, not only did it become heavier, 
but the process of 
fermentation began again, of which a byproduct is 
methane gas 
of course. As the stuff was stored below decks in bundles 
you 
can see what could (and did) happen. 
Methane began to build up 
below decks and the first time someone came 
below at night with 
a lantern, BOOOOM!
Several ships were destroyed in this manner before it 
was determined 
just what was 
happening 
After that, the bundles of manure were always 
stamped with the 
instruction ' Stow high in transit ' on them, 
which meant for the 
sailors to stow it high enough off the 
lower decks so that any water 
that came into the hold would not 
touch this volatile cargo and start 
the production of 
methane.
Thus evolved the term ' S.H.I.T ' , (Stow High In Transit) which 
has 
come down through the centuries and is in use to this very 
day. 
You probably did not know the true history of this 
word. 
Neither did I. 
I had always 
thought it was a golf term.

6 comments:
Drivel and wisdom! How rare :)
Blow me down!
I am reading 'The life of Pi' and he - desperately hungry - attempts to eat his travelling companion's poo. The TC is a tiger.
It was so hard he added some precious water but regretted it as the taste was foul.
No surprise there then.
RE you story what about the effect of rain?
KB, but of course! x
Pat, there you go!x
Why don't they teach history like this in schools?
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