$64? ON 1TRF, 



IX. 



Obfa-vahom on Turf, from the German Rathbeger fur alie, 

 Slrend. ^Doctor Collenbvsch, 



IT is not very probable that a man placed befide a fountain 



of pure water fiiould fuffer himfelf to die of thirft through neg- 



lecl of ufing it, or pofTeffing £ood in abundance, mould not 



appeafehis hunger with it; nevertheless inftances of this kind 



are not wanting. 



Wood fuel very Every one complains in Germany of the fcarcity of wood 



fcaree in Ger- f or f ue j # j t \ s k nown that fubftances have been found in other 



Other matter places which can fupply its place, and that they have been 



may be fubfti- formerly ufed here; but all this cannot induce any one to fearch 



Mtedforit - for turf. 



Ungrounded I fc ls eafily conceived that proprietors of woods, through the 



prejudices pre- fear of having their profits diminifhed, (hould endeavour to 



turf for futU perpetuate ancient prejudices, and to extend the opinion that 



the plague only ceafed its ravages (ince the ufe of turf for fuel 



has been difcontinued ; but it is difficult to imagine that magif- 



trates inftead of encouraging the preparation of this fuel, (hould 



endeavour to prevent thofe from doing (o, who wiflied to en* 



gage in it. 



Ufed in Ger- J fc * s vei 7 likely that the difcovery of the ufe of turf as a 



many from the combufiible was firfl due to chance; and befides the ufe of 



r?ods, rCm0tC PC " * ms ^ ue ^ m Germany nas Deen continued from periods more re* 



mote than any written documents extend to. 

 Various errone- The principal caufes which have prevented the fearch after 

 ou s opinions turf t are the erroneous opinions which have been formed of 

 production and * ne manner in which it has been produced, of its preparation, 

 ufe. and its ufe; fome of which are as follow. 



iftThat turf * Some think, for example, that turf has been formed at the 

 tfmind in veins morqent of the creation, fuch as it is now found in the earth, 

 like metals. arM j t h at i| iere are veins of turf, as there are of iron, copper, 

 tin, and other metals; but experience proves the falfity of this 

 opinion, for there is found in almofl all parts of Germany turf 

 covered with more or lefs earth, (if only a proper fearch be 

 made for it) beneath which layers of trees may be feen, which 

 proves that Ihcre formerly were forefts in the fame places. 



Others 



