The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-04-09
SOME NEW USES OF PEAT.
Scarcely Any Textile Fabrics Which
Cannot Be Made from 1t.


One of the most interesting and at
tractive exhibits at the Vienna expo
sition of last year was a building con-
tanning the most diverse articles made
from peat. Everything in the building
from the carpets on the floor to the
curtains at the windows and the paper
on the wall, had been made from peat.
These were but representatives of what
will undoubtedly soon become a great
industry and give to the peat bogs of
the world a value never before dream
ed of.
Credit for the discovery of the possi-
bilities of peat belongs chiefly to a
Vienna gentleman, Herr Karl A.
Zschorner. His investigations into it's
nature began some twelve years ago
with a study by means of the micro
scope of what is called in Austria tori
streu." This is the layer of moss which
covers the surface of most peat bogs.
1t has hitherto, by those who have
made use of the peat for fuel, been at
considerable EXPENSE removed and
thrown awa!. Herr Zschorner's ex-
animation showed that the plant re-
mains which make up this layer abound
in hollow, spiral cells. These absorb
water and other fluids with great avid
ity. While ordinary straw cannot abb
sorb over four times its weight of
fluids, this peat straw will absorb ten
times its weight The peat straw,
moreover, possesses the antiseptic and
disinfectant qualities of peat, qualities
which have long been known, but of
which little use has been made. Herr
Zschorner accordingly hit upon the idea
of drying the straw and using it as an
absorbent in stables, breweries and
various manufactures. For such pur-
pose it proved most admirably adapted,
and the demand for the product soon
grew large. Having greater absorp-
tive power than ordinary straw, the
peat straw can be used much longer
in any given place, and yet will have
proportionally greater manurial value.
1t gives a, healthy, resilient footing
also for animals. For packing of both
perishable and breakable articles Il
is also better than ordinary straw,
since Ut is more elastic and less easily
penetrated by heat and cold
Herr Iechorner did not rest his in
vestigations here. A further study of
the peat itself showed that it was very
largely made up of fbers. These fibers
come from the remains of reeds and
grasses, which, growing and dying i'm
successive generations, form the peat.
In their submergence the reeds and
grasses suffered no anatomical change.
but their physical and chemical char
acter became entirely different. The
organic substance Of the plant became
inorganic, so that nothing capable of
fermentation or decay was left, while
the fbrous structure remained intact.
These fibers then were found to have
unusual physical properties. They
were found to be very durable, very
elastic, to be non-conductors of heat
and non-combustible.
" a fabric could be woven from them
IT would be one possessing UNIQUE
properties. To the toushness of linen
it would add the warmth of wool, an
absorbent power greater than that of
cotton, and the indestructibility of as
bestos. 1t must, however. be woven
without the aid Of oils or water, or
much of its value would be lost.
After twelve years of experimenting
Herr Zschorner succeeded in making
the peat fibers weavable. There is now,
therefore, scarcely any textile article
which cannot be made from peat.
Goats, hats, carpets, rugs. ropes. mat
ting and pillows are some of the ar
ticles which have been made, and have
been found useful. What superiority
these will prove to have in practice
over fabrics made from other fibers
only time will tell. Some of them have,
however, already been proved to be
immensely superior to any other fab
rlcs. This is especially true of the
blankets and other coverings used for
horses and cattle. for they greatly ex-
Gel in warmth. absorbent power, clean
illness and durability. The unspun
fiber promises to be valuable substi-
tute for absorbent cotton, since it will
not only absorb much greater guam
tity of blood and other fluids than cot
ton, but il possesses powerful antisep-
tic properties as well. The coarser
fiber II is expected will come into favor
for use in upholstery work, its ex-
traordinary elasticity making IL most
valuable for this purpose.
The latest achievement of the dis
coverer of the uses of peat has been
the making Of paper from, its fiber
This has been carried to such an extent
that paper OF almost every variety of
weight and quality can be made, while
the toughness and durability Of each
is equal to thai of paper from any kind
of vegetable pulp. The above are but