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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



Voiv. XIII Washington, D. C, June 17, 1918 No. 12 



INORGANIC COMPOSITION OF A PEAT AND OF THE 

 PEANT FROM WHICH IT WAS FORMED 



By C. F. Miller 



Scientist in Chemical Investigations, Bureau of Soils, United States Department of 



Agriculture 



INTRODUCTION 



The comparison of the inorganic composition of a peat with that of the 

 material from which it was formed can seldom be made with any cer- 

 tainty, because generally several species of plants have contributed to 

 the deposit. The extensive saw-grass peat deposits found in the Ever- 

 glades of Florida offer an unusual opportunity to make this comparison, 

 since all indications point to their having been formed by the accumu- 

 lation of the remains of a single species of plant, saw grass {Cladium 

 efjusum) . 



DESCRIPTION AND COMPOSITION OF SAW GRASS 



Saw grass is a member of the sedge family and is found chiefly along the 

 banks of streams or ponds and in swamps throughout the southeastern 

 States. By far the largest colony is found in the Everglades, where 

 many thousand acres are covered with an almost impenetrable growth, 

 which reaches a height of 8 to 10 feet in many places. Saw grass resem- 

 bles ordinary grasses in appearance and derives its name from the fact 

 that the edges and back of the midrib of the leaves are serrated. 



On account of the difficulty experienced in obtaining entire plants for 

 analysis, separate samples of leaves, root crowns, and roots were gath- 

 ered, care being taken to remove all extraneous material. In ashing the 

 samples an electric muffle furnace, fitted with an automatic temperature 

 control set at 550° C, was used to prevent the loss of alkalies by volatil- 

 ization. 



Journal of Agricultural Research, Vol. XHI, No. 12 



Washington, D. C. June 17, 1918 



nw Key No. H-s 



(60s) 





