22S ESSAYS AND OBSERVATION'S 



Art. IX. 



Of the Analyfis a7id'Ufes of Peat ^ by Alexan- 

 der LiND, Efquire *. 



'fhe Analyfis of Peat. 



FIvE ounces of peat, hard, dry, and of a 

 deep brown colour, found fix or feven 

 miles from Edhibtirghy being diftilled with a 

 gradual heat, gave firft an ounce and an half 

 of clear water ; after which the oil began to 

 come over, firfl yellow, then darker colour- 

 ed, till it became like tar, and along with it,, 

 a yellow or brown coloured acid oily liquor, 

 ftrongly empyreumatic, to the quantity of fix 

 drams : this liquor, towards the laft, became 

 alkahne: but of this there was only a fmall 

 quantity j for the diftilled liquor that came 

 over firft, was found to be confiderably acid, 

 fo that it took more than a dram of ol. tart, 

 per deliqiiium to faturate it j if the diftillation 

 had been continued with a very violent heat,, 

 there would have come over more alkaline 

 fpirit with the pitchy oil : the quantity of 



oil 



