102 BULLETIN OF THE* NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 



bog and lake. That the bog is actually floating on mud and water, 

 there can be no doubt. There are from two to three feet of moss and 

 below that as much more rotted moss and water, forming a semi-fluid 

 substance. It does not seem possible that the lakes are held in by 

 this moss ; on the other hand the water in places run under the moss, 

 and acts in some ways as a lake with a thin layer of ice on its surface. 

 E, P. Goodwin, C. E., who has been engineer for the company for 

 the last year, thinks that this moss can be cut in large squares and 

 floated out the canal when the barrier of mud is cut away. It would 

 seem as if the canal being dug is too small when the very slight fall is 

 considered, and the area of the submerged lands. 



Borings are to be made this winter all over the bog by Mr. Goodwin, 

 and in the spring new light may be thrown on the history of these 

 regions. So far the canal has not cut through to the bottom of the 

 marsh mud in one instance, nor has it come in contact with one stick 

 or other sign of vegetable remains. 



The Marsh Soil. — The sediment floated up by the water is formed 

 from the wearing away of carboniferous sandstone and shales. As 

 the water is comparatively clear at the entrance to Cumberland Basin, 

 the rocks which yield the deposit must be situated above this. At 

 South Joggins nearly two feet of rock are worn away each year, and 

 no doubt the wash is carried up the bay to make marsh soil. 



The mud is of an exceedingly fine texture. While very little grit 

 can be detected by the fingers or teeth, it nevertheless contains a large 

 amount of sand as seen in an analysis. Tools that are used in working 

 it soon become blunted. A heavy bolt was worn through on the 

 steam dredge in a few weeks from friction with the soil in shovelling. 

 When wet it seems almost soluble, and is very sticky. After being 

 quickly dried by the sun a harrow has little effect on marsh mud, it 

 being almost as hard as brick. In many cases seed is thrown on 

 the plowed land and the rain causing the soil to run buries it with 

 little or no harrowing. 



The marsh soil is naturally of a red color, and this red soil consti- 

 tutes the valuable marsh. Hay has been cut from this for 100 years 

 and more without materially impairing its fruitfulness. Large quanti- 

 ties of red mud are annually carted on the highlands, and, as a fertilizer, 

 for many soils it is considered equal to barnyard manure. No analysis 

 that has yet been made will explain its marvellous fertility. Sir Wm. 

 Dawson (Acad. Geol. p. 23) thinks it may in a part be due to the 

 presence of fish bones and vegetable remains which do not appear in 



