Look out for people with bruised shins - they'll be the ones who saw the poll, thoguht "DUNG?!?" and ticked it for the stupidity value, never seriously thinking that people would actually vote for it (just like they had)...

It probably said "coprolite" on the form.

But seriously, it was one of the few ways of getting nitrates for fertilizer before synthesis was practicable, along with importing it from Chile by sailing ship.

Nothing wrong with using dung, good honest recycling. Which reminds me I need to find out where the local stables are to get a good supply for the veg patch.

Fossilised dung though, wasn't it?
(I used to live at Basingbourn while my dad was stationed there!)

Coprolites, yes. (And somewhat easier than shipping guano from small islands the other side of the world.)

I didn't know you'd lived here.

Lived there for about a year (moved there from Western-Super-Mud... such is the life of a RAF-Brat). Well, if you know the old married quarters "estate" opposite the entrance to Bassingbourn Base, we lived at the third house in from the right on the main green there (so you can see it from the main road). Went to Bassingbourn Lower/Primary School for about a year before Dad left the RAF and we moved into Bedfordshire for Dad to go and work for Charles Wells.