Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-09-04
AMERICAN PEAT RE-
SOURCES.
BY Frederic ]. Haskin.

Peat, a common fuel in Europe, Is
hardly known to Americans, and yet the
peat resources now available in the
United States amount to 2,SS8 5O0.O OO
tons of fuel. according to an announce
ment just issued by the United States
geological survey. This Is sufficient to
provide heat and power for every indus
trial purpose for many years, and allow
for a liberal increase In the demand. If
converted into bricks and sold at $3 per
ton the peat now known to exist would
have a value of $685. esq., 100000. This
great addition to our natural resources,
totally unsupported until within the past
few years, is likely to be increased be-
cause of new formations which are con-
stantly taking place.
| The peat areas now available for oper-
/ alton include deposits covering Hiss
! square miles in the United states. ex-
elusive of Alaska. The average depth
1t has been found here as deep as
twenty five feet. The average yield per
acre OF peat land should be 200 tons of
salable fuel for each foot OF depth.
Peat is not uniformly distributed
her wisdom in placing it most iavishly
where no coal resources exist. The New
England states. New York, Florida,
/ Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota nave
the deepest deposits now known
| y
| Workable peat beds are to be found all
| along the Atlantic coast from Maine to
| Florida, and
/ Workable Reds along the gulf
| coast from F'lori-
on Atlantic Coast. da to Mexico.
l x,;th Tho a~ca1t;o, oF q small nor<;op IF
the coast of Mississippi and Louisiana
near the mouths of the Mississippi river.
A small deposit has recently been opened
on the coast of southern California and
well equipped plant established for its
| operation. Less than fifty peat-produc-
ing plants are now in operation in this
| country.
The heating value of peat is greater
| than that of coal in proportion to the
money invested. The best grade Of coal
has less than twice the heating capacity
of peat. Yet two tons of peat cost con-
| siderably less than one ton of high
grade coal Scientific tests of the caloric
value of the best grade Of air-dried peat
| give it $3.50 calories in comparison with
the best semi-bituminous coal possess
ing 1880 calories, which was the great
est heating value Of the fuel tested. Peat
| may be used for certain purposes for
which coal has been unsuccessfully tried.
and for which wood has been required.
| These include brick and other ceramic
firing. Its greatest value yet indicated
/ Is as a source of producer gas In properly
| constructed burners
| The expense and danger of producing
peat is less than that of coal. because 1t
/ lies just below the surface Of the ground.
| The peasants of Europe have dug 1t
only stout narrow spade having the
length and width of the bricks to be
| cut, commonly called a ''slane." 1t has
narrow steel lug welded into one side
| of the point, at right angles to It In
Ireland two men usually work together.
One digs or cuts the peat with the slane,
and the other takes 1t out and places
each piece on edge on the drying ground.
| These pieces have to be turned several
| times before they can be used. In
Sweden women and children are en-
ployed to turn the peat blocks.
This cut peat, which has been the chief
fuel In Ireland for centuries and Is used
| in all parts OF
| Macerated Peat Europe, can
Is the Best Variety. any demand in
the American market. It is brittle, lacks
uniformity. Is hard to handle and has
small fuel value compared with the cheap
est of the machine products Machine
peat is the term applied to peat which
| has been ground or macerated before be-
ing pressed into brick forms. A block of
macerated peat il covered with q thin
glaze, which makes 1t nearly waterproof
1t Is sufficiently porous to permit mois-
ture to pass out from the inside. but will
not absorb It. After a heavy rain
block Of macerated or machine peat will
be nearly as dry as before. Because OF
this macerating process Is used now
even upon the most primitive peat boys.
In Ireland and other places where no cap
ital Is available for machinery the fol-
lowing plan Is used. The coarse top lay
ers Of peat fiber are thrown into the hole
made by last years digging. II there is
not sufficient water more Is poured in.
The coarse peat Is thoroughly mixed by
trampling with that of the finer texture in
the hole until a mass of fine-grained
pasty consistency is formed This is
taken out and spread upon the drying
ground in layers from 8 to IL inches
thick. Bricks are marked of by hand as
it is being spread.
Peat powder and briquets are other
forms of the fuel. Each has some par
ticular purpose to which it is best adapt
ed. The powder is regarded as the most
iedSiuic Iucl iOr many PURPOSES IL Is
more volatile than fine coal and burns
with a hot flame. 1t IL well adapted for
use in powder burners 1t does not need
to be crushed as fine as coal for this pur-
pose, because peat is of more porous con-
struction. This permits the penetration
of air and insures complete combustion.
Peat also ignites at lower temperature
than coal. 1t cannot be burned econom-
ically in an ordinary fire box or stove,
because 1t packs SO that sufficient air
does not reach 1t and 1t falls through the
CRATE IL stirred.
Briouets were designed to overcome this