Warren sheaf., 1922-10-11
PEAT Can KEEP
lNINNESOTAN'S WARM
State University Scientists Tell How
>>to Meet Coal Shortage
4. in State #

Minnesota farmers and small town
residents need not worry about the
threatened coal shortage. They can
provide themselves with winters
supply of fuel without going far
atield-fuel about equal to air-dried
] wood, if the threatened coal shortage
should become a reality, and il they
act at once. That is the cheering
word which comes from w. r.. Apple
by, director of the Minnesota Mines
Experiment Station, and Prof. Peter
IChristiansOn former president Of the
University of Minnesota. "
Professor Appleby and Professor
ChristiansOn not only announce the
foregoing fact, but they have: issued
a statement telling farmers and others
just how to go about providing a
winters supply Of fuel from nearby
peat lands such: as are scattered all
over the state. The gist Of this state
ment follows: .
The sloughs, bogs, and marshes Of
Minnesota contain brown to black
fibrOus soil known as peat. This us
ually varies in thickness from the
edge to the center of the bog. AS a
rule it is thicker, and Of better fuel
quality toward the middle of Il bog.
The further down the better the fuel
quality. though near the bottom it is
usually mixed with sand and clay
and is not SO good. g.y5 ~.
| BOgs that have been. drained for the
purpose of improving adjacent lands
for farming offer the most satisfactory
sources for mining peat. ...zaa Il
! The simplest method is to select &
place$on a:,drained bog where the peat
is at least four feet thick. 0
= With a sharp fiat ditching spade
dig down as far as practicable Pre-.
pare a bank-like face from which
ease-blocks slightly larger than the
ordinary building brick. An old fash,
ioned hay knife such as is used TO.
Ecutting stacked hay is a good imple.
Ment, for making the vertical, or up.
and-down, cuts. The horizontal cuts
may be made with a, sharp-edged
ditchig spade. r.. .....
| The bricks should be stood on edge
with air spaces between and allowed
to dry. After they have dried in part
they should be stood on end for fur.
ther drying.
If the peat is not ibrous, as may
be the case well below the surface
and crumbles too easily for handling
it. may be mixed with water anC
kneaded into the consistency of or
dinary mortar, and then spread Out
!, on the smooth surface Of the box ttt
I., 80 ~
lowed to drain. After it has drained
off, it may be cut into bricks, to be
handled as the bricks Of more fibrous
peat. ,-5- ... 4E..%z.
"A peat fire is started as coal fire
is started. When thoroughly dried
peat burns with a comparatively short
| flame, and if the draft is closed after
the peat is well ignited the fire will
last much longer than correspond
ing wood or coal fire. Peat has about
the same heat value, weight 70.
weight, as air-dried wood.
| With moderate draft peat viii
produce an intensely hot fire such as
| is suitable for all kinds Of domestic
and power purposes. SIS.
There is still time to prepare fue
from peat for the coming winter
The Mines Experiment Station viii
be glad to make analyses and render
all assistance possible, free Of charge
to any who may be interested in draw
| ing on the states peat supplies. fol
their winters fuel. Any such person.
are requested to address Mines EAper
iment Station, University of Mime
sofa, Minneapolis Mimi 81
i