CN TURF. 365 



Others believe that at the time of the deluge vaft forefts were *d That it was 



, . . . . . , formed at the ' 



overthrown, and afterwards covered with herbs, reeds, and ^ ^ p 



other plants, and that thefe vegetables having rotted by de- 

 grees, became at laft this black combuftible mafs refembling 

 earth, which muft have required an enormous quantity of ve- 

 getables, as plains of many leagues fquare are tound covered 

 with beds of it to the depth of more than 25 feet, beneath 

 which trees are discovered of great hardnefs, and almoft pe- 

 trified. 



Others imagine that it is more probable that the fea tranfport- 3d ThJt It was 

 ed the materials of the turf from the weftern countries to the ^^^^ 

 eafiern, and covered with them the trees which are found weft, 

 buried beneath the turf. It is very true, that thefe trees have 

 their roots turned towards the wed, and their heads to theeaft. 

 But then it is 1 difficult to explain how this fubftance could be 

 carried to countries diftant from the fea, and even to the tops 

 of the higheft mountains in upper Saxony, on the Brocktn and 

 the Alps. 



Many perfons are of opinion that torrents and rivers have 4th That it ww 

 drawn together and depoftted leaves and branches of trees on wafheddown t% 



r torrents. 



the low r grounds, and that they have thus accumulated the 



conftituent elements of the turf; but this cannot take place in 



countries in which no large rivers are found, nor on high 



mountains. The microfcope clearly mews that turf, efpecially The microfcope 



that kind which is from the fur face of the earth, is compofed fll ^ w , s - 1 ' com " 



poles or veeeta- 

 of mofles, herbs, rufhes, and other vegetables, and their roots ble fibres. 



ftrongly interlaced, of which the greateft partis changed into 



earth. 



Paper has actually been compofed from turf, and the water Papetthade from 

 which has fettled in turbaries is u fed to tan leather, which Ja™^ 1 "*^ 

 proves that it is principally compofed of vegetables. Chemt- water. 

 cal refearches have alfo difcovered in it a mineral refin which 

 principally promotes its combuftibility. It appertains then 

 partly to the vegetable, and partly to the mineral kingdom, 



Turf may be produced artificially, by digging trenches 6 Turf produced 



feet deep, and from 15 to 20 feet fquare ; the trenches become J rt ! fi . cia "Y h V . 

 . , ^ unking deep and' 



filled with water, and produce the nm year a green (limy mofs, wide trenches, 



the fecond year this molTy vegetation covers the water to the whicn ? !1 U P*T 

 height of two ieQt t and a great quantity of filaments are dif- 

 covered in it mixed with leaves and flowers, in the third year 

 a tfratura is eftabliflied, which attracts the dull and the feeds 



which 



