576 STEVENSON— FORMATION OF COAL BEDS. [November 3. 



different fuel peats from Ireland, which show, as one should expect, 

 extreme variations, due to local conditions. Potash and soda are in 

 small proportion, varying from 0.146 to 1.667 of potash and from 

 0.446 to 2.883 of soda, the greater quantity being in the dense peat. 

 Phosphoric acid is present in all but rarely exceeds 2 per cent., 

 whereas sulphuric acid varies from 10 to 44 per cent. Hydrochloric 

 acid is present in small proportion, but approximately that required 

 by the soda. Lime and magnesia are always present, in some cases 

 the former makes up nearly one half of the ash and in others the 

 latter is one sixth. Ferric oxide varies from 6 to 30 per cent. 

 Silica occurs as sand or as soluble silica and alumina is always pres- 

 ent, though at times in small quantity. The ash in the samples 

 analyzed varies from 1.120 to 7.898. 



I . H. O. N, Ash. 



1. Surface, Phillipstown 58.69 6.97 32.88 141 1.99 



2. Surface, Wood of Allen .. 59.92 6.61 32.20 1.25 2.74 



3. Dense, Phillipstown 6047 6.09 32.54 0.88 3.30 



4. Dense, Wood of Allen 61.02 5.77 32.40 0.80 7.89 



The content of alkalies rarely exceeds 4 per cent, of the ash in 

 New Jersey peats and ordinarily it is less than one and a half per 

 cent. ; but calcium carbonate and sulphate are always present in 

 notable quantity, making up from 20 to 30 per cent, of the ash.'^^ 



Julien'"-* has given a synopsis of the available information respect- 

 ing the proximate composition of peat. The various organic con- 

 stituents seem to be of rather indefinite character and their study is 

 attended with serious difficulty. Julien cites an analysis from Her- 

 mann, giving composition of a peat obtained near Moscow : 



Muck-carlion, nitrolin, plant remains 77.8 



Humic acid 17.0 



Humus extract 4.0 



Ammonia 0.25 



Crenic acids Trace 



Ash 1 .25 



" W. E. McCourt, " A Report on the Peat Deposits of Northern New 

 Jersey," Ann. Rep. Geol. Surv. of New Jersey for 1905, p. 227. 



"A. A. Julien, "On the Geological Action of the Ilumus Acids," Proc. 

 A. A. A. S. for 1879, pp. 314-324, 329, 331. 353- 



174 



