1'KAT-LITTKR. 821 



and is employed at Aibling, near Kosenheim ; the product is in 

 balls. The macerated peat is mixed gradually by a horizontal 

 cylinder \viili an an-liimidean screw. The balls of peat 

 descend by a slide to the drying-chamber, which contains a 

 number of heated tubes, down which the balls descend on 

 spirals. 



Some progress has certainly been made in the quality of 

 machine-made turf. Hausding* states that, air-dried machine- 

 turf, with at most 10 per cent, of ash, has jjrds the heating 

 power of superior coal, so that one cwt. of machine-turf is 

 equivalent to \ to cwt. of coal, whilst ordinary turves are 

 equivalent to only \ to J cwt. of coal. 



It may here be noted that several attempts also have been 

 ina<l<; to carbonise peat and produce peat-charcoal in order to 

 increase its market value as a fuel. 



Peat is not used for many other purposes besides fuel. Its 

 use, however, for Mable litter is increasing in importance, and 

 -pecially noticeable here, as there is a hope that by ibis 

 means tin; disastrous use of forest litter may be stopped. 



Peat forinsa much better stable litter than either forest litter 

 or straw, for it is I 3 to 5 times as absorptive of fluids as the 

 latter, and thus prevents any waste of animal manure, either 

 in the form of urine or ammonia. The humic acid in peat 

 also acts beneficially on the salts, alkalis and alkaline earths 

 of the soil. Peat also improves the soil physically more than 

 other litter, retaining moisture in loose soil, loosening binding 

 soil and especially in promoting porosity. Its capacity for 



* ()]>. fit., p. 720. 



t Vide Dr. Fiirst, i; Die Torfstreu," 1802; also Bavarian "Torfstreu und 

 Mulhverk," Haspelmoor. Mendle, " Die Torfstreu," 1HS2. 



\ According to experiments made by Wollny, Classen and Petermann, the 

 following are the absorptive capacities of different, substan 



Percentage of 



Weight. 



Spruce-needles ir.i 



pine needles ... 207 



Oak (lend La ... 2 J2 



257 

 Wood -wool 2*:. to I lo 



'raw ... ... :') ( 1 



\\vi-ht. 



-10!) 



Spruce saw-dust ... I ID 



I !;>-], elmoor peat-litter l',:\t\ 



Oldenburg peat ... (Jf/t 



I hispelinoor prepared 



peat-meal G!)0 



