94 



to give a tolerably correct idea of the appearances it generally pre- 

 sents in this country ; and will also show that it does not seem to 

 differ, in any thing material, from that, which we have seen, exists 

 in the other parts of the world *. 



The peat is found in the middle of a valley, across which the town 

 of Newbury lies, north and south. The river Kennet runs along 

 the middle of this valley, which is about a mile broad, and the peat 

 is found on mcli side of it, extending in all, for about a quarter of 

 a mile, to about half a mile in breadth; and in length, along the 

 valley, about nine miles westward, and about seven miles eastward. 

 It is supposed to reach much further; though perhaps, with some 

 intermissions. 



The top of the true peat is found at various depths, from one foot 

 to eight feet below the surface of the ground ; a,nd the depth or 

 thickness of this peat is also very different, from one foot to eight 

 or nine feet ; the ground below it being very uneven and generally 

 agravel. 



The best and most perfect peat has very little, if any, earth in it; 

 but is a composition of wood, branches, twigs, leaves, and roots of 

 trees, with grass, straw, plants, and weeds ; which lying continually in 

 water becomes soft, and easy to be cut through with a peat-spade. 

 The colour is of a blackish brown, and if it be chewed between the 

 teeth, it is soft, and has no gritty matter in it. It is, indeed, of a 

 different consistence, in different places ; some being softer and 

 some firmer and harder; which may, perhaps, arise from the differ- 

 ent sort* of trees it is composed of. 



Great numbers of trees are plainly visible in the true peat, lying 

 irregularly one upon another ; and sometimes even cart loads of 

 them have been taken out, and dried for firing : but the nearer these 

 trees lie to the surface of the ground, the less sound is the wood ; 

 and sometimes the small twigs, which lie at the bottom, are so firm, 



* Philos. Trans, vol. L. part i. p. 109. 



