330 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



large sized machine is that of a cylinder four feet or more in 

 length, with gearing on one side at the bottom, and on the other 

 side copper tubes from which the prepared peat is forced. The 

 inner machinery consists of a vertical shaft revolving in the 

 centre, carrying wings set spirally, so as to force the peat down- 

 wards into contact with stout revolving arms furnished with 

 knives. These knives thoroughly pulverize the peat, and set 

 diagonally, also force the now homogeneous mass downward, 

 where it is still further forced by a spiral propeller through the 

 delivery tubes. These tubes, two in number, decrease in size 

 so as to compress the peat before it leaves the machine. The 

 spiral arrangement by which each part of the machinery per- 

 forms its work and passes the peat onward, is completely and 

 very neatly carried out, the compressed and finely ground peat 

 being delivered upon endless belts in continuous cylindrical 

 rolls of any desirable length. 



All of the machines, heretofore described, are designed for the 

 manipulation of peat in its ordinary state, just as it is taken 

 from the bog ; but there has been in operation at Belleville, 

 N. J., during the past summer, a more expensive and compli- 

 cated machine, invented by Dr. Elsberg, and bearing his name. 

 This machine is designed to prepare peat in such a way as to 

 save the time usually occupied by the tedious process of drying 

 the wet blocks, after their delivery from the machine. Accord- 

 ingly, the surface of the meadow is harrowed so as to expose the 

 disintegrated peat on the surface, to the sun and wind. This 

 air-dried peat is then supplied to the machine, where it is sub- 

 jected to a current of steam, and then to the action of powerful 

 presses, from which it is delivered in cylindrical cakes, of a 

 density equal to that from peat machines, which manipulate the 

 wet material after it has undergone the process of drying. The 

 Elsberg peat is almost dry enough for use when it comes from 

 the machine, but it does not bear exposure to the action of the 

 rain without crumbling as does peat prepared by the other 

 methods described, and all accounts agree that it cannot main- 

 tain its solidity when exposed to the effects of a strong draft. 

 Notwithstanding these defects, however, a company has been 

 formed in New York, with a capital of half a million of dollars, 

 having in view the working of an extensive bog in Rhode Island, 

 the coming season, with this machine, and the supply of the 



