454 MRS. E. M. REID ON A METHOD OF 
On a Method of Disintegrating Peat and other Deposits containing Fossil 
Seeds. By ELEANOR М. Ret, B.Sc. (Communicated by CLEMENT 
Rip, F.R.S., F.L.S.) 
[ Read 6th February, 1908.] 
AT the present time much interest is being taken in the investigation of 
deposits of peat, and many inquiries reach us as to the methods of dis- 
integrating. these deposits so that an examination may be made of the fossils 
contained in them. It may be well, therefore, to describe a very simple 
method which I have used of late with great success. By it the examination 
of peat is rendered as easy as that of loam, and can be aecomplished with 
the same degree of thoroughness. 
The method 1х an extension of one used for many years by Mr. Reid 
and myself, though without any striking results. We have long been 
accustomed to boil peats with a small quantity of carbonate of soda, as 
we have found that this assisted the process of disintegration. But even 
во, we have always regarded peat as one of the most difficult and intraetable 
of the materials with which we have to deal. The change in method 
which I have employed lately with such satisfactory results, is to use а 
very large, instead. of а small, percentage of carbonate of soda. I have 
used dehydrated soda, sold commercially at а very cheap rate as concentrated 
soda. This is stronger, and therefore less bulky and more convenient, than 
common washing soda. 
The method was first tried last summer on three samples of an ancient 
highly-compressed peat, sent from Hornsea and Bielsbeck respectively, by 
the Committee of the British Association “appointed to investigate the 
Fossiliferous Drift deposits at Kirmington, Lincolnshire, and at various 
localities in the East Riding of Yorkshire.” The samples were sent as being 
most difficult, if not impossible, to deal with. Similar samples had been 
treated with dilute soda solution, but with no success, and. the Secretary, 
Mr. Stather, writes of the Bielsbeck peat: “The material will not break 
down, in faet it seems tougher at end of process than at the beginning." 
Пе adds that the Hornsea peat is “equally intractable.” It was evident 
that strong measures would be necessary, so Т boiled each sample with a large 
quantity of dehydrated soda, perhaps a third or more of its bulk in each 
case. To my surprise, when I came to wash them, Т found that instead 
of being difficult to break up, I had never before experienced anything 
like such ease in dealing with peat. A very little crumbling with the 
fingers loosened the fibre so that the matrix could easily be washed away. 
The seeds were clean and quite unharmed by their treatment, and I was 
able to collect even such minute and delicate seeds as those of Juncus and 
Гр/омит from the Bielsbeck peat, though before boilir 
ig I had been 
obliged to break it with hammer and chisel, 
