652 ESSAYS AND OBSERVATIONS 



The firft is, with refped to the place out 

 of which they are taken. Such as are got 

 from brackifh grounds, near the Tea, alfo fuch 

 as are impregnated with vitriol or fulphur, 

 have a difagreeable fmell, and are hurtful to 

 the health. In Zealmid^ they have a kind 

 of peat, which, when burning, makes eve- 

 ry body in the room look like a dead perfonj 

 and, when they (it long by the fire, grow 

 faintifli : it alfo turns the bottom of their 

 veflels white. Peats taken from moffes, free 

 of all minerals, have none of the above 

 mentioned, or any other bad efFe(!^. 



As to the matter itfelf, that differs in ma- 

 ny refpedts ; fo that in the fame mofs, ac- 

 cording to the different depth of it, there are 

 three or four different kinds of peats found* 

 In North Britain, in the province of Gronin^ | 

 gen^ and in feveral other places, that which 

 is uppermoft, is light and fpungy ; further 

 down, better ; and at bottom, is a fubftance 

 that is black, and makes a firm folid peat. 



In Holland^ that which lies uppermoft is 

 beft, being of a dark or black colour, "to 

 which others fucceed of different colours and 

 fubftances not fo good. That which is light 

 and fpungy, taken from a barren heathy 



ground, 





