The Portland daily press., 1888-05-18
A DELIGHTFUL FUEL.
How Peat Is Cut, Preserved and Used
In Scotland.

A more delightful kind Of fuel than peat
has not yet been discovered. No doubtthere
are various kinds Of peat-good, bad and in
different. But the best kind Of peat Is mild,
cleanly, and in every way useful and pleas
ant. TO those who have been used to peat
fuel. a coal fire appears insufficient and in
significant. Coal fires are much to expen-
siye to keep up in the Highland fashion.
Whatever else may be costly in portions Of
the Highlands Of Scotland, fuel q cheap; al
most as cheap as the air that Is breathed
there or the water-which Is also Of the best
quality that is drunk.
Peat Is found to a depth Of over twelve
feet. Trunks Of fir trees are frequently dis
covered in it, several feet from the surface
The fir is generally in good state Of preser-
walton and richly laden with rosin. Indeed.
when cut up and dried, moss fir, as 1t Is
called. Is sometimes used by the poorer peo-
pie instead Of candles. The matter Of which
peat is formed in Scotland is mostly o.
mossy character. Three or four different
kinds of peat, one above the other, are often.
taken out Of the same bank. The first cut or
LAYER Is usually Of a light or dark brown col
or, the second is still darker. and the third
or fourth is almost black, and, as 1t were, Of
a fatty substance. In the first and second
peats moss and grass, sometimes running
from end to end, are distinctly visible; but
in the third or fourth the whole is clotted to-
gether in decomposed mass, so that all
traces of vegetation are merged in black
composition Of the cOnsistenee OF butter. All
the peats make good fuel, but the latter Is
the best After being thoroughly dried II
burns with great brilianey, lighting uR
room in such a way as to render any other
artificial light unnecessary In winter nights.
Peat cutting, implements for which are
specially made, Is commenced about the Ds.
ginning Of May; Inc @ tarI os crust ~ = ,d nrs1
ing thickness with a shovel-like implement
which Is struck forward from above the
knee in a slanting position. This Is the
hardest part of the work, and calls for some
technical skin. Then the substance is sliced
out by the peat cutter with an implement
locally termed tusk. Two persons, male
or female, accompany the cutter, taking the
peat from him as IL is cut and spreading u az
full length on the ground Three persons
are therefore engaged TO one spade or tusk;
but seven or eight spades VIII cut SUFFICIENT
peats In one day to serve the uses Of fami-
" for whole year. Peat-cutting day Is
generally associated with good fellowship
and festivity. The head OF the family issues
invitations to those Of his nelghbors who are
known to have an aptitude Tor such work,
and ON the morning Of the day appointed the
house Is filed with young men and women,
together with some old ones, ohthely
ready to do him the required services.
The days operations are begun with
breakfast--a repast which would not
disgrace a wedding. There Is plenty Of
whiskey, of course; peat-cutting without
whiskey would never prosper After appro-
pirate toasts have been duly honored the
party starts for the peat moss, where the
work is begun by the young people more IN
the spirit Of play than Of labor and carried
on with hearty good will At midday there
is an interval for lunch, which Is eaten on
the heathery hillside in picnic fashion, ana
a great deal of fun goes on meanwhile:
Work is then resumed, often with the result
| that the wears peats are cut before nve
| O'clock In the afternoon; and then the party
| marches back TO another hOspitaole meal.
| No payment is given or expected; only u Us
| understood that each family engaged Will
| help the other in similar circumstances. An
individual here Ond there will cut his peats
himself, working at them day after day nn-
til ne has obtained the requisite quantty,
but the peat-eutting party system Is MUM
'" In about a month after the peats have been
cut they are dry enough, ih oIuluaty Wcaasn.
err. 10 be up on end in small heaps; In snort
time afterward two Of these may be made in
10 one and the fuel Is generally earted nome
toward the end Of July or the beginning OF
August When taken nome tne peats aIe
bniIt into a stack. The stack Is built straight
M for few feet and then gradually tapers
| td the tor. a height Of ten or twelve feet from
the base. The peat Is taken into the house
In small quantities, as II Is required Tor daily
or weekly consumption. Coal Is not found In
the Highlands of Scotland, except In the
county of Sutherland. where the ducal pro-
prietor spent large sums in opening up the
coal fields at Brora; but the quality Of the
mineral, though good enough for some Pul, Pa
poses, Is poor. Peat holds sway everywhere
! In the rural districts where householdeIs arc
not troubled with coal bills or water Lases, ~ y
The privilege Of peat cutting : " WA niece
every crofter along with Ms ,,,sr nouoe bas neat
/ ol lan9' .tti Esen ~ tn MIN. and whatever his
\ poVeIty may ~ hInzing fire in the winter
4 tunnths