<M ANNUAL RflPUltT uF THK 'iff. Doc 



quetting almost any other substance, a binder has to be supplied; 

 but in peat there is a substance called "pentosane," which serves 

 as a natural binder under compression. 



The cost of producing peat-fuel is very low. There is not a sec- 

 tion of Pennsylvania where it cannot be made ready for market at 

 an expense of less than $2 per ton. There are plants in operation in 

 the United States and Canada where briquettes are made by artificial 

 drying and compressing of powdered peat at a cost of about $1.30 

 per ton. Such plants have a capacity of 50 tons per ten hours, and 

 their original cost is about $00,000. 



Peat has other uses than for fuel. When dried the upper layer 

 serves as a bedding for horses and cattle in some parts of Europe, 

 and in the same parts of the old country it is powdered and mixed 

 with molasses and fed to cattle; but it is very doubtful as to bene- 

 ficial results. The dark colored peat of the lower layers, mixed 

 with barnyard manure, makes an excellent fertilizer. F»y the Zieg- 

 ler system of briquetting, about ten pounds of acetate of lime are 

 made from every ton of raw peat. Alcohol can be made from it 

 by direct distillation, the process being similar to that of wood 

 spirit. Properly ground and pulverized it makes a very desirable 

 brown color for dyeing, which neither the sun nor atmosphere will 

 bleach or decompose. Peat is a non-conductor, and, therefore, is 

 valuable in the lining of ice houses, and for covering of pipes, and in 

 partition walls. Good, and cheap white paper is now made from 

 bleached peat; and that which is most fibrous is found to be an ex- 

 cellent material for manufacturing pasteboard and felt. At Ham- 

 burg, Germany, artificial stone is made from peat for street pave- 

 ments, in lieu of asphalt; and in that city there is a firm which pro- 

 duces leather from it for the soles of shoes. In the coking of peat, 

 by one process, 90 pounds of tar are produced from every ton of raw 

 material. Powdered peat is a cheap, effective and odorless disin- 

 fectant for rooms, closets and stables. It exhausts by sucking nine 

 times its own weight, and its use in Europe is becoming more popular 

 every year to effect a healthy and refreshing air in buildings. For 

 preventing epidemic diseases it is spread in hospitals, the sick room 

 and slaughter houses. 



For country people a small $400 plant for compressing cold peat 

 will be found to answer almost every purpose. These presses are 

 on sale in New York City, where there is an experimental plant for 

 determining the heating quality of peat from any place, and where 

 they have facilities for measuring the depth and volume of peat 

 bogs, and for pressing the product. With our peat beds developed 

 in every part of Pennsylvania, we will have an abundant supply of 

 cheap fuel. So long as all goes well at our coal mines, and we have 

 our timber lots, we think that other sources of fuel supply are quite 

 unimportant. But within the year you will have practical illustra- 

 tions in some parts of our Commonwealth of the better fuel in the 

 form of peat briquettes. Thus we are gradually reaching a more 

 comfortable condition in home life, with tenfold more opportunities 

 and blessings than had our forefathers, and with tenfold more reason 

 for gratitude and praise to Him "who giveth us all things to enjoy." 



Mr. W. H. Stout, of Pinegrove, one of the Geologists of the Board. 

 read his reoort, which is as follows: 



