[ganong] 



PEAT BOGS OF NEW BRUNSWICK 



1S3^ 



This seems to dispose effectually of the cold-tVom-evapomtioii theory, 

 and to show that the low temperature is a hold-over from the winter. 

 There are, also, other facts pointing in the same direction. On a very 

 bright, windy day (July 1), the following tests were made. A thermo- 

 meter, 1 foot long, was placed with its bulb at different depths, and gave- 

 readino's as follows : 



Of further value is the tact that on July 1 we found in the Lepreau 

 bog, near the centre of the high part, about a foot under the surface,^ 

 sheets of ice G to 8 inches thick and several feet square, extending over a» 

 area of about an acre, and this was still undiminished when we left the 

 bog on July 4th, though it had disappeared on our second visit on 

 September 2nd. This can be exj^lained only by a persistence from the 

 jireceding winter, and probably the bog does not freeze much deeper. As 

 showing the low temperature prevailing in this region I may add, that on 

 the night of September 4th-5th, water fi-oze in a pail in front of our tent,, 

 on the flat edge of the bog, to such a thickness that it took a smart blow 

 to bleak it ; this was several da^'s before the local papers rej^orted tho 

 "' tirst ice." 



The temperatures above given prevail well out on the raised part ; 

 near the edges the temperature is higher. July 2nd, near the margin of 

 the l)Og, at 3 feet of depth, in several places the temperature was (i° Q. 



As to temperatures deeper doAvn in the bog I know nothing posi- 

 tive, though I made some observations in the sides of the drainage ditches 

 but these must be so much affected by the air temperature as to be little 

 reliable. I made an effort to use, for this purpose, the valuable new 



' A good maximum and minimum thermometer, one foot above the bog, in the 

 night of July 2i)-27, Is!)?, fell to 36^" F.; 27-28 to :3:V F.; 2«-29 to :i4' F. 



