Mines". Where draining is |>ossil>!.' , !i- lY;il ;s I 1 

 in fact, not Peat, and where possible to drain, in a wet 

 season will bo too wet to produce a crop and in a dry 

 one, seed might as well be planted in a "hay mow.'' 

 And if it ever catches fire, it will be summer and winter 

 till it is consumed or there is another wet year, "Take 

 it from me". There is no Peat where there is farming 

 land, and there is no farming land where there is Peat. 

 Swamp lands are lacking in Mineral elements necessary 

 for plant growth. 



It is a question whether tracts that can be drained 

 are Peat at all. 



The first move in the investigation of Peat possibil- 

 ities must be along the line of determining the depth of 

 the deposits. 



We know the superficial area of swamp lands (Peat) 

 is immense but not even an approximate estimate of its 

 value can be made before systematic exploration of the 

 depth and quality of the Peat is made. 



This should be done in the same manner as Iron 

 lands, by borings at regular intervals and "charting" 

 the same ; when properly done you will have a diagram 

 of the whole thing showing quantity and quality of the 

 entire tract as plainly as if exposed on the surface. 



This knowledge will be of great use in directing the 

 work. Not only can production be cheapened by work- 

 ing the deeper bodies, but the product will be of higher 

 quality. 



Peat as I understand it, is the initial stage in the 



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