234 ESSAYS AND OBSERVATIONS 



contrary, fuch as are light and porous, con- 

 fume quickly in the fire, leave no cinder,- 

 but a great many impurities and allies, are 

 little valued. 



The afhes of peats differ alfo confiderably 

 in colour, quantity, and weight ; as to which 

 nothing certain can be determined. Some- 

 times the white, fometimes the grey, and 

 at other times the red, are heavieft. In 

 Friejlandy the peat that leaves the red afhes, 

 Degner fays, is heavieft 5 about Nimiguen 

 thofe that are red are found lighter than the 

 Dutch peat which leaves a grey afh. 



The Brewer, Difliller, and other trades, 

 prefer the peat that leaves a red afh, which, 

 tho' it feldom has a firm cinder, yet burns 

 violently. The Baker makes choice of the 

 light turf, and in North-Holland, where the 

 inhabitants are extremely cleanly, they ufe 

 the peat that has red afhes, upon account 

 of their being heavier than the white, and 

 therefore not fo apt to fly about and fpoil 

 their furniture. 



Besides the ufes now commonly made of 

 peats, there are two others in which, I think, 

 they may be employed with great advantage. 

 The firfl is, the fmelting iron ore,^ the only 



fewel 



