The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1872-12-17
PEAT

The subject of fuel is question Of the
utmost importance, at the present time, 70
every one who is Obliged u buy a cord of
wood or a ton of coal, and the query is
often made 10 this prairie country, part
culsrly in the region lying north Of us and
outside Of the coal fields Whist are we
to DO for fuel Ip answer. to such
question we can DO the public no greater
service than to call their particular atten'
ton to the immense peat beds lying in the
northern part of this county, on and near
the Meredosia, and also 10 what is known
as the "Cat-Tails,' in Whiteside county
where, we understand Mr. Dodge has quite
extensive works now in successful opera.
ton, manufacturing peat in iorni suitable
for transportation and consumption. Peat
Is not confined to the localities we have I
mentioned, but is found in workable quan5I
Titles all over the northern part Of this !
State Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota
Dr. Rosa in The Nee York Reformer.
asks What is peat ?" Where should We
look for it. and how shall we know Il l''I
In what Is it better Than wood or coal,
and in what respect INFERIOR d" Is it
scarce or atmldaptyY rs a peat bed of
much value in money and, What is
the history Of peat2' He then proceeds
70 say that rcrc beds. during their forma-
ton, must he hooked for, at least in this
climOte, In swampy, boggy places, yet not
too wet for vegetation 10 exist Peat beds,
however, are not always wet places after
their formation, though they must have
been so during Il The swale may have
been gradually filed up with the growth Of
peat itself and then soil may have been
formed or washed over IT, la some eoun-
tries as in part, of Ireland Switzer-
land and Fueeia m humid and quite cool
climates, peat may form on plains and even
on hiilsides This Is called mountain or
hill peat In few instances Il has been
found at the bottom Of the sea, formed
there under peculiar circumstances from
beds Of sea weed. The mountain peat,
and that on plains, is Of an inferior kind,
and its bed, usually do not exceed
four feet in depth We need not look for
any in thi, region except that formed ia
swamps unless it be in low prairies Our
climate is usually too dry for that on plains
or hillsides.
The influence u heat, Il may be men
toned Is 80 great that peat is never found
near the tropics In the l'nited States it
does not generally occur south of the Dis
nal swamp. Vegetation, even under
water in hot climates, changes too fast and
TOO completely " leave much carbon. In
looking for beds In this region, we should
examine ouly sucs, places as are, or have
been quite oppressed Generally they vii
be fond surrounded on all sides by highe
and making basin-like depression. sup
piled with a moderate amount Of water
and generally mdoFdid NTH clay, which
with the high land, prevents the waite
from either flowing or 6ltering away. Ii
such a place, if moss Is grown plentifully
and tn quantity Of water is not too great
the probability is strong for deposit o
peat. The surface Of beds as stated, va
ries greatly as is indicated by the variou
names in common use such as turf, Dos
moss, moor and heath Sometimes it is :
wet that the peat may be dipped out wit
kind of scoop-net as is occasionally don
in Holland. The surface of others is fri
enough % be crossed on foot, by steppiu
carefully on the most solid part
the clumps Of higher growth, or b
jumping from hummock to hummocL
tussocks as they are called in Scotland
OF others the surface Is dryer and NOR
even, yet trembles as you pass over i
qudkiag hogs they are sometimes mans
in England and Scotland
Usually peat beds are very slow {
growth occasionally, however, they il
crease with some rapidity. One case
mentioned of seven feet gain in thirt
years This occurs when beds hay
grown in shallow lakes or ponds. But no
does peat look IN the bed? The top layer
more generally called turf, are quite fibrou
loose porous full of leaves, roots, stick
&c. Deeper down, it is more perfect
formed. pure and dense A few feet fartl.,
down, if good, it is quite free from ROOT
and stems, and if very good, is free fro
grit stones, or other foreign matters,
color it varies from yellowish AMI reddi
and dark brown to pure BIZ called son,
tunes nrbary bog. In consistence Il
deeper peat var''o IRON, thin mud TO Nh
VI V'"S pr pared for making brick, sol
- " n that II may be dipped up while
aryer peat will cut about ike paste-bla'
ing, and looking much like it. VIII
thoroughly dry and pressed, it may appe
like rough cake of chocolate, with
without fbres in it. though under the KIN
II is much harder, or If Of better quail
twill look aud cut like licorice-balls Son
times it erumbles, when dry but this
an indication that il is poor and imperfec
formed, too much like common mu
Usually when dry, if toIerably pure, it
quite firm and solid When wet, if pu
the better qualities feel smooth, grea
soft, unctious, like pure blue clay. G.
orally though these are the exceptions
has but little odor and but little taste
weight it varies with the pressed aud
impressed, the pure and the impure sp,
mems, from some 50 6brous that it
even float on water, to others about
gravity Of bituminous coal.
And now, knowing how it appears,
having reached the place, If you pie
where we may reasonably hope to find
how shall the examination be made
the surface is soft run down pole,
sec ii any comes up sticking 70 it. Sc
there is any clay or marl on the en-
the polo, if You have reached the bott
ii tyyu "A t,.s r.,.., -. n 49,. l..