XI. — On Water from Peat and Soil. By 

 R. Angus Smith, Ph. D. 



(Read November 16th, 1847.) 



In examining the water around Manchester, I 

 perceived that the temperature had a great effect 

 on that portion which came from peaty land. In 

 warm weather the water becomes brown ; in cold 

 weather it becomes perfectly pure. The water 

 is very pure from the hills formed of sandstone, 

 or rough rock, and frequently contains nothing 

 more than from one to two grains of carbonate of 

 lime in a gallon, with two grains of organic, i.e. 

 peaty matter. When the warm weather begins, 

 the streams become brown, and the colour is often 

 very deep. Now we know, that the acids of the 

 humus class are very insoluble in water, and, 

 therefore, cannot form this deep solution of them- 

 selves. In a peat bog, which is not well drained, 

 and is, therefore, wet and cold, the acids of the 

 3 c 



