PEAT MAKING. 



and rotting. As cold weather sets in earth is piled 

 over the sods. In laying these they are put on like 

 slates or shingles, Heather side down, and thus are 

 water-tight without being air-tight. The most dan- 

 gerous time with stored roots, or fruits, is the first 

 month or six weeks ; those who store lots of potatoes, 

 carrots, beets, or apples, know this ; and for this period 

 Heather sods make a most excellent storage pit, giving 

 good ventilation and protection from rain and frost. 



Good Heather sods are used in some places to 

 cover byre and stable roofs, and not infrequently work- 

 men's cottages. 



Peats were largely used in olden times as fuel in 

 distilleries in Scotland. The famous Ferntosh whiskey 

 owed its celebrity to the peaty flavor which character- 

 ized it. This flavor was secured from the smoke of the 

 peat with which the malt, of which the whiskey was 

 made, was dried. This smoky flavor was considered 

 one of the marks of the liquor being genuine. 



Martin, speaking of Slcye, says : "The natives 

 are very much disposed to observe the influence of 

 the moon on human bodies, and for that cause they 

 never dig their peats but in the decrease; for they 

 observe that if they are cut in the increase they con- 

 tinue still moist and never burn clear, nor are they 

 without smoak, but the contrary is daily observed of 

 peats cut in the decrease." 



A fiery peat was sent round by the Borderers to 

 alarm in times of danger, as the fiery cross was by 

 the Highlanders. 



