322 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



• I am fully of the opinion, that, for the space of four years, I 



have not received one dollar for the extra stock kept during the 



two years of close cropping mentioned, to say nothing of the 



reduced condition of the pasture. 



I am confident that highly fed milch cows yield a large 



income, and are a source of profit ; whereas, from those poorly 



kept a small income and no profit is received. 



John Johnson, Jr. 

 Framingham, January 30, 1867. 



This Essay, after some discussion, was laid over under the 

 rules of the Board, but subsequently taken up and accepted. 

 The Committee submitted a Report on 



PEAT FUEL. 



BY GEO. 1$. LOBIHQ. 



In the able and comprehensive report of Professor Hitchcock, 

 made in 1833, by order of the legislature, upon the geological 

 survey of the State, allusion is made to the vast deposits of peat 

 which abound in many localities. In calling attention to these 

 numerous storehouses of fuel at a period when wood was com- 

 paratively abundant in nearly all our inland towns, it is hardly 

 to be supposed that he realized the day was so near at hand 

 when the actual wants of an increasing population would verify 

 his predictions as to their great utility and value. 



After enumerating the various localities where peat was 

 known to exist, and furnishing a tabular statement of the num- 

 ber of acres and thickness of the deposit in numerous localities, 

 he remarks as follows : — 



" Excluding the western counties, and taking the amount of 

 peat, given in the statements to me, at a fair average in all the 

 towns of the other counties, (excluding the large towns,) it 

 would follow that eighty thousand acres, or one hundred and 

 twenty-five square miles, are covered with peat in that portion of 

 the State, having an average thickness of six feet four inches. 

 This area and depth would yield not far from one hundred and 

 twenty millions of cords. We hence get an enlarged view of 

 the quantity of matter in the State that may be employed as 

 fuel or in agriculture, that has hitherto, except in some limited 

 districts, remained almost untouched." 



