HARVESTING THE PEAT. 809 



times, the lowest ones being brought to the top of the stack, 

 and vice versa. 



As explained already, when space is limited, the turves are 

 dried first on the top of the bank of peat, which is cut in 

 alternate strips. It is evident that the turves when stacked 

 for drying do not dry so quickly or thoroughly as when placed 

 singly on the ground. The lower turves must therefore be 

 further dried on the drying-ground, and for this purpose may 

 be placed in circular rings of 5 or 6 turves on the ground, 

 over which 4, 6 or 8 rings are placed, the space between two 

 turves in a lower ring being covered by a turf in the ring 

 above it. 



When the turves are dried thoroughly for which 4, 6 or 10 

 weeks are required, according to the weather, mode of drying 

 and quality of the peat if they are to be at once sold and 

 removed, they are piled in the usual rectangular or conical 

 sale-stacks, each containing 1,000 turves, or else in stacks 

 similar to those used for firewood. 



ii. Drying imilcr Cover. 



Sheds for drying turves are similar to those used for bricks, 

 being very long and narrow and formed of laths, which are 

 covered with a light roof, and in which the turves are stacked 

 one above the other. These sheds offer the great advantage 

 that the drying process is independent of the weather, but 

 they are too expensive for general use. 



Drying, however, is conducted in sheds, much more rapidly 

 and thoroughly than in the open air, observations at Waid- 

 moos having shown, that in four weeks, turves thus dried 

 lost about 20 per cent, more moisture than in the open. 



iii. Shrinkage. 



From 70 to 90 per cent, of the weight of freshly-cut turves 

 is water ; most of this is lost in drying, but air-dried turves 

 still contain 26 to 30 per cent, of water. In passing to the 

 air-dried condition, turves shrink considerably, the more so 

 the better their quality. 



Some peats lose 70 to 75 per cent, of their volume by 



