3T3S Of the Bogs in Ireland. 



The commissioners then report their opinion of the prd* 

 bable expense of these operations, &c. &c. By Mr. Grif- 

 fith's report to the commissioners, the total amount of es- 

 timate for draining' the several bogs contained in the eastern 

 division, or district No. 1, is 147,032/. 6s. \\d. and the 

 quantity of land to be gained 22,490 Irish (equal .to 36,430 

 English) acres. 



The following description of a section of a turf bank in 

 Timahoe Bog (see Plate IX.) is copied from the conclusion 

 of Mr. Griffith's report : — 



" The foregoing section is an exact representation of a 

 turf bank on the southern edge of Timahoe Boo-. 



" The surface of the bog has been partially drained for 

 about 20 perches into the interior, which has occasioned the 

 upper and most porous part, to subside three feet, the fibresof 

 moss having lost their watery support, and not being suf- 

 ficiently strong in themselves to retain their former eleva- 

 tion. The annual growth of moss on this bog being prevented 

 by the absence of water, it may be considered as dead. 



" In the Report, page 30, T have stated, that in drained 

 bogs, when the bog- mosses, &c. which compose the upper 

 surface shall have subsided, and by the near approach of 

 their mossy fibres (which when alive are kept asunder by 

 water) and their exposure to the atmosphere shall become 

 (to a certain degree) putrid, it will be found that various 

 grasses of good qualjtv, and even white clover, will vege- 

 tate spontaneously on its surface. 



" The bog, of which the section is the face, has now 

 been superficially drained for three years, and the effect 

 above described has taken place to a certain degree, as 

 the common meadow, the tivrin, or jointed grass, and 

 white clover, are now growing on its surface, though spa- 

 ringlv ; and the surface of the bog has been so far acted 

 upon by the atmosphere as to have totally lost the texture 

 of the moss,' and to have assumed a close-grained earthy 

 appearance ; whilst in the bed immediately below it, the 

 mossv fibres are so perfect, as to render the different species 

 perfectly distinguishable to the botanist, as may be seen by 

 the specimens which 1 now lay before the commissioners. 



" DESCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS. 



" No. ] 2 feet thick. 



" Surface of bog decomposed by exposure to the atmo- 

 sphere : mass compact ; contains rarely any vegetable re- 

 mains ; where they occur thev arechieflv composed of fibres 



of 



