Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1894-07-27
A SUBSTITUTE FOR COAL.
PEAT Is USED FOR FUEL ALL
OVER EUROPE.
What Peat Beds Are Composed or
Methods of Working the Beds
Other Uses of Peat

Other Uses of Peat.
EAT is used nearly everywhere
- throughout Europe, wherever
it can be obtained without
expense for transportation.
In large and small cities, as well as III
rural districts, it is utilized for fuel;
in fact, in many localities it is the
only substance employed for heating
purposes. 1t is used also in factories,
but, according to the 81. Louis Globe
Democrat, its employment for driving
locomotives has been abandoned, for
fear of fires in forest and field A
peat bed is simply an accumulation OF
the remains of plants that grew anu
decayed on the spot where they are
now found. When the green and
growing upper layer of this material
is removed one finds peat with fifty
two to sixtysix per cent. of carbon,
and the deeper one goes the better III
quality it gets. 1t may be cut out In
blocks and they may be stacked up,
covered and dried and used for fuel.
There is kind of moss called ''sphag-
num-" which in large part makes up
the peat producing vegetation. Its
roots die annually, but from the living
top new roots are sent out each year.
The workmen who dig peat under
stand that if this surface IS destroyed
the growth of the bed must stop; 80,
commonly, they remove the sod care
fully, replacing it after they have
taken out a stratum Of peat. If these
peat beds could lie uudisturbed and
covered over through ages they would
be transformed eventually into min
eral coal. The upper layer of peat,
consisting chiefly of the moss,
described, is, when broken into frag-
ments, loose and tibrous material
a mixture of root-fibers, leaves, stems,
etc The intermediate stratum,
wherein the composition has reached
an advanced stage, constitutes the
ing trunks aud roots of trees. 1t Is
called "peat fiber" The bottom
layer known as ''pitch tur:," con-
sists of black, compact, pitchy
stuff, which shrinks rapidly on being
separated into small pieces. 1t has,
when cut evenly, a smooth, wax-like
surface. Containing the greatest
amount of nitrogen, it Is most
valuable for heating.
When peat bog is to be worked
the first thing necessary is to drain
the land. After the latter has OBJ
tanned the requisite degree of dry
ness the peat is dug. 1t still retains
seventy or eighty per cent. of water,
which is almost entirely removed from
it by artificial processes of drying.
In the digging of peat machinery has
taken the place of manual labor with
in the last few years. Various
machines are employed to cut out the
peat in cubes or bricks, which are
afterward dried. Other mechanical
contrfvances press the peat into
molds. turning it out in balls or other
shapes. About five per cent. OF the
entire area of Germany is covered
by peat boys. One method adopted
for working them is to cut away the
vegetation from the surface to begin
with. Tue bed is then plowel aud
narrowed, the loo5ened peat being
broken up 50 as to expose it to the
action of the air. 1t is then gathered
by contrivanco resembling a snow
pillow, after which it isput into a drying
oven and thence conveyed to a press
whence it issues in the form of smooth,
shiny, dark brown bricks. One
machine of six horse power can pro-
duce from 10000 to 100, 900 bricks u
day. Artificial drying is the most
costly item III the expense account for
peat production. Peat contains from
forty to sixty per cent. of carbon, four
to six per cent. of hydrogen, twenty
five to thirty five per cent Of nitrogen
and one to six per cent. Of oxygen. In
respect to heating power, 100 pounds
of 1t are equal to from fifty to sixty
pounds of hard coal. Ia Europe peat
is also turned to account as fertiliz
er and as a building material, being
employed as filler for vacant spaces
separating layers for water works, ice
houses, etc. By means Of q process
recently patented, it has been male
to do service in tanneries. The waste
particles of peat, known as peat
dust, have been utilized extensively of
late as material for fitting up odor-
less vaults.
In the United States peat boys of
enormous extent are found. Experts
are of the opinion that tho article
could be probably produced in this
country, especially in localities where
distance from the coal mines makes
coal excessively dear. Nevertheless,
attempts already made in this direc-
ton have not met with success. In
New England efforts have been made
to dry and press peat for market, but
it could not be turned out in this form
for less than S. a ton. At anything
like equal prices, it cannot compete
with coal, possessing less heating
power. being very ashy and having
peculiar odor. Fire made from it is
not lasting. Peat is dug for burning
to considerable extent on the Islanl
of Nantucket. Farmers in the United
States used it to some extent as ferti-
liZer.
d.