20 The Ottawa Naturalist. [April 



ordinary coal, while in calorific power the tests already made 

 have shewn it to be quite as valuable as that substance. While, 

 however, the experimental stages have been quite satisfactory, 

 it was found that in the manufacture, through some defect in the 

 machinery, its commercial output has hitherto, not been such as 

 to contribute largely to our mineral wealth. From the satis- 

 factory nature of the work done lately however it may be taken 

 as assured that the commercial aspect of this question will be 

 shortly settled and a compressed peat, which will replace coal for 

 all purposes, both in our houses and factories, as well as on many 

 of our lines of railway, will yet be an accomplished fact, especially 

 in view of the statement of those who have already engaged in the 

 work, that such a fuel can be produced at a cost, at least half of 

 that which we now pay for coal. This material has for years been 

 successfully produced in Germany, where the industry of com- 

 pressed peat has assumed large proportions and where a most 

 excellent fuel is prepared at a cost of less than two dollars per 

 ton. 



But there is also another aspect of the question which is 

 already receiving much attention by the persons interested in 

 the exploitation of our peat deposits. For a number of years 

 there has been sent to the markets of the leading American cities 

 a substance known as moss-litter, which finds a ready sale at 

 remunerative rates, and for which there is an ever increasing 

 demand. This industry is now being carried on in the Welland 

 district where the peat bogs along the line of the canal are being 

 utilized. 



In practice the working of a peat bog should embrace both 

 thepreparationof the moss-litter and the manufacture ofcompress- 

 ed peat. The Substance ot a good peat bog is divisible into three 

 portions or strata, viz. , the upper or green growing surface, of 

 which but little use can be made and which must first be removed 

 in order to reach the lower and economically available portions. 

 This second part has a thickness of three to four feet, and 

 passes gradually downward into the black and unctuous portion 

 which is best suited for fuel purposes. In the economic working 

 of a peat bog therefore, due attention must be paid to this order 



