West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1880-05-15

Vast regions of the globe, designate, a
in the Biographies as solid land. are
covered 10y peat boys The table lands OF
the South American Cordilleras, the i'm
mense plains of Siberia, about one-tenth
of Ireland, large proportions of the surface
oil Scotland, Germany, Norway, Jutland,
the gorges ot the Swiss Alps, and large
tracts IN this country are covered with the
morasses which have been formed by peaty
deposits. On many n low plain, on lofty
table lands, IN valleys and depresSions
where water gathers and is held by the
clay suhsoil or the solid rock the forma-
ton OF peat goes ON. The surfaces of these
silcut waters are covered with thin green
hlm like mere scum which, however, is
plant life, minute Contervp, that decays
and sinks, to be succeeded by another
growth. These depoSiuons going on, age
after age, become solid mass, and ulti-
matcly are transformed into peat. Varieties
OF peat that to the uusided eye are but
smooth, oily muck, become under the mi
croscope, the remains of Vegetation, min
ute momsscs that ilourished and died
through countless generations, aud sank
below the water that sustained and nour-
iShed them while living. In time this
gradual accumulation becomes "A palpable
mass. Particles of sand and stones, the
roots of adjacent plants killed 10y the slug
gish waters are held ia the mass, which,
rising wear 10y year, at length affords "A
iOOthold for Waterfowl and gradually
reaches the surface, making soil for
aquatic plants. These i'm their turn con
tribute Ia the acCrction, so that the mass
consists of layers, more or less defined, of
the remains Of ConfervW, coarscr vcgcta-
tion, roots and entire plants, mingled with
sand and mineral substances These
changes are passive and unnoticed, hut the
water continues To accumulate, saturatng
the entire mass, and at length becomes ag-
grcssive, breaking through the trcachsrous
surface and destroying the vegetation that
has obtained ioothold over tho slime
Sometimes the imprisoned and generated
gases burst through, sending forth streams
of blnck liquid mud, which overwhelm
and destroy all vegetable life within their
reach. These bogs are continually grow
ing. Quietly, gradually, but irrcslstibiy,
they spread, undermining forests in some
cases and sinking them out of sight. What
are commonly known rs salt marshes arc
frequently immense beds of peat The
accumulation is very gradual, but the rank
grains, rushes, and other aquatic vcgcta-
tion which retain precarious foothold die
and decay and add year by year TO the
mass. What was once "A treacherous
morass, becomes in time apparently solid
land, and more advanced forms OF vegeta-
ton succeed; perhaps forest. But the
marsh is still there, and below the root of
the trees is spongy bed of peat. Even
beneath the shade of forests growing on
solid ground peat is in process of forma-
ton. The foliage of the trees deposited
annually and the surface vegetation that
grows in rank luxuriance in the impenctra-
bic shade decay and add layer after layer
of soft, shiny substance, that in time be-
comes concreted peat. Thinning or cut
ting of the trees allows the water TO eva
poratc, and the peat becomes the compare
lively dry fibrous substance We use as
fuel