The Yale expositor., 1909-05-14

Under the more genial climate of
q bygone period II is believed that ma
tive woods existed in the Orkney and
Shetland islands. Evidence Of this is
shown by the presence of tree trunks
deeply embedded In peat boys and
sometimes uprooted from the bed of
the sea In places which, at earlier
times, must have been dry land How
ever, no native trees exist at the pres
ent time with the exception of some
dwarf birches and mountain ash in.
digenous to few sheltered valleys In
Hoy. These are apparently only
stunted remnants OF a larger growth,
showing a change brought about by
altered climatic conditions, and prob
ably for the same reason the native
ponies. cattle, sheep and collies of
Shetland are all diminutive. There
are, 1t is true. few plantations which
have risen from young trees; but they
have only attained a restricted size
owing to constant exposure to the
fierce gales which frequently sweep
over the low, bleakish hills. In the
absence Of trees there is a compensa-
ton In the matter of fuel supply by
the extent of the peat boys which are
found In most of the islands; and to
Einar, son Of Earl Rognvald, who was
sent over from Norway to subdue a
band of pirates, is due the credit of
showing the inhabitants how to make
fuel from their apparently useless
boys. From this circumstance he
gained the appellation of Torf-Einar.
Before his arrival great privation must
have existed by the scarcity of fuel.
and probably scraps of wreckage, sea-
weed, or even dried cow-manure, were
used for burning.
Peat-cutting or "shearing" com
mences in late spring. usually after
the crops have been put in the ground.
In most parts of the country the boys
are on low-lying ground, but not in
frequently they are on the summit of
the hills and in the valleys.
The day appointed for peat-cutting
marks an event OF great Importance,
anu week or two beforehand the
good wife has brewed large "brewst"
of ale. so as to have it in good condi-
ton when the day arrives. Bottles
and jars are filled with the brown and
usually potent liquor; for it is a dis
grace for the housewife to be told that
she went too often to the well during
the brewing, or, in other words, di.
luted the beverage too much. Neigh
bors assist each other at the peat
cutting, so as to finish the work neces-
sary for the requirements of one house
In a single day II possible. An early
breakfast is partaken OF, and oat BAN
nocks, "sooan" scenes, homemade
cheese, ham and eggs, ETC., heap the
table, and substantial meal fortifies
the body for long day of toll After
breakfast a start is made for the hill
top, some of the party carrying a
straw "caizie" of provisions, others a
basket OF bottles containing milk or
'home-brewed" with which to regale
themselves later on. while still others
bring the necessary implements for
cutting the peats. A "fiaying-spade"
is used for cutting away the turf or
fibrous covering of the moss along the
edge of the peat-banks.. In a strip about
three feet wide. The bank is the
edge of exposed moss left from the
previous years cutting, and may ex-
tend from fifty to several hundred feet
In length, and yields from one to four
peats In depth. The moss is OF
brown color near the surface, but gets
darker and denser below. and the
black peat Is the harder and richer
In heat-giving properties. The peat
cut nearest the surface is spongier and
burns away much more rapidly. Ger
tain kinds of moss produce peats
which burn with strong sulphurous
smell and leave a residue OF red ashes.
The spade used In cutting Is called
"tuskar," and consists OF a narrow
steel blade about a foot long, bent at
right angles to itself, forming a heel,
to gauge the width and thickness of
the peat. This is pressed down In the
yielding moss to depth of Is inches.
or whereabouts, by the foot of the
worker applied to step fixed in the
handle. Usually IL is the women's part
10 ChlCn the wei pcats as buCeo OUT
by the tuskar and to arrange them
edgewise in rows on the top of the
bank to dry. The labor of peat-cut-
ting is very arduous. especially to the
women.
In the islands of INST and Yell In
Shetland the peats are mostly carried
home on the backs OF ponies. the
ponies being driven or occasionally led
in Indian file over the moorland tracks.
The peats are carried In "maizies,"
creels of open ropework, one sus.
pended on each side OF the pony from
a two-horned wooden saddle placed on
It's back. However. In general through
out Shetland women do most of the
peat-carrying as well as the agricul.
tural work in a community where the
men are mainly engaged In fishing.
The peats are carried on the back
In straw of heather caizfes and aome-