34 



THE PEAT BOGS OF NEW BRUNSWICK. 



By R. Chalmers, LL. D., 

 of the Geological Survey of Canada. 



Published by permission of the Acting Director of the Geological Surrey. 



^^HE largest peat bogs of New Brunswick were explored and 

 C^ studied during the investigation of the surface geology of 

 the province between 1882 and 1900, and the area, thick- 

 ness, and elevation of each ascertained as accurately as possible, 

 while the quality of the moss and its possible economic value 

 were also noted. Nearly all these bogs are shown on the maps of 

 the surface geology published by the Geological Survey, and 

 are briefly described in the accompanying reports. As numerous 

 enquiries are, however, made concerning them of late years, it 

 has been considered advisable to put on record in a short paper 

 such facts as are in my possession as an answer to these. The 

 following notes are, therefore, intended to furnish information as 

 to the location of the peat bogs, the facilities for draining them, 

 their accessibility or distance from a raihvay or other route of 

 transportation, together with such details as may be of value to 

 those desirous of utilizing the peat mosses for the manufacture 

 of peat fuel, moss litter or other purposes. Considerable atten- 

 tion is now being devot'^d to the exploitation of peat bogs in 

 different countries, and various experiments made as regards the 

 preparation of fuel, coke, etc., therefrom. It has been found that 

 the moss can be dried and pressed into small blocks or "bri- 

 quettes" of a convenient size to handle, and thus converted from 

 the crude bulky state into a clean, portable article of fuel, which 

 may eventually take a place along with coal and wood in the 

 fuel markets, at a very moderate cost. Already a good deal of 

 progress has been made in developing this industry in the pro- 

 vince of Ontario. The methods devised by the manufacturers 

 there might be advantageously employed in some parts of New 

 Brunswick and Prince Edward Island where peat mosses are so 

 abundant and wood is becoming scarcer. The peat beds of the 



