, 1860-02-14

Important to Farmcrs-A Valuable
Discovery
Mr.. Chns. E. Brown, of Nauwatosn, has laid on
our table SOME specimens Of peat, whrh he dug
out of marsh upon his furm, aud which lie
thinks may he made Of very great value to nu-
mcrous farmers in the State. who have marshes
upou their lands, These marshes hare alwny s
been supposed to be worthless, aud in fact have
been SO, so far as having been able to reach my
formation Of this kind was concerned, since they
are more or less under water But from the
continued drouth Of last season, the most Of the
marshes became dry. and can be worked at this
winter with ease.
The substance which he has dug out of lis
marsh consists Of 1hree different layers, the
first about II feet deep, the second about Ct,
aud the third from to It feet deep. Each lay
CT differs from the others in cotor and quality.
The first is tle 1ightest in color rs well as in
weight, the second is dark and nucky, and the
third is not quite 50 hard as the second and is
very rich, being filed IN with seeds, Leaves, &C.,
which have I'D doubt lain there for ages. Tie
inents with it prove Tint it will burn like peat
EivinG ont j warm, glowing heat, and con,inu-
ing to burn even longer than charcoal.
But it is not discovery Of peat that Mr.
Brown speaks Of it, SO much rs u valuable arti-
Gle tor nlanuring purposes. Nothing cnn be
richer and more desirable for 1nanuring lands,
aud where he has tried it upon lis own land,
=
showing that the substance possesses great
fruc,ilvlns qualities. And almost every cxten-
sive farmer IN the State, doubtless has more or;
less n it in his mar: hes, aud now is the time to-
get it out and apply it to the soil. The expense
is very triling, according to the course that has
been taken by air. Il. lie las hired three or
four men, one Of whom eau dig it out Of the
marsh in canyenieut blocks for carrying, fast
enough to supply three men in removing it. In
this nanuer it has cost him only about eight
cents 4 ton, and h. has already dug out for his
tartu sume GOO tons, and CO ,temriates digging
some 500 tons specially for his own use. lie
has no doubt that The increased richness which
it will aid 10 his soil, will veil repay him for his
limc, trouble md EXPENSE.
Again there is another advantage to it. After
digging through thc material depth OF four or
five feet, lie came TO y good Erave'1y soil, and
next season lie calculates to have in these pits
good clear ponds Of water, with hard, Eraycly
bottom, so thut lie will not be deprived Of water
for his stock, as was the case with many farmers
last SEASON, on account of the drouth.
lie would call the attention Of farmers to this
mine Of wealth upon their own soil, knowing
that they would never regret taking advantage
Of it. They have tinc now to dig out their
mar, hes, aud they are in an admirable condition
to work. After u little depth cf frost is over
come, there is no trouble whatever in getting
out the material. Ifit is delayed till another
seasou, the marshes will all undoubtedly fill up
ugain. and it may be years before they will be
again in condition to operate upon. The sub
ject which VIC have hastily looked at, and jolted
down the impressions as narrated to us by Mr.
t.. is we'll worthy the attention Of farmers
uilsraul<e |Vitconsin.