V 



of Boston and its Vicinity. 



IS 





light and spongy, antl swims on the surface of water; it is found 



surface of the g 



fr 



to sev- 



era! feet in thickness, and generally covering the Compact Peat. 

 It is not employed for fuel, but is separated from the next variety 

 and thrown into the pits formed by the excavation of peat ; here it 



dersroes other chanires, and 



adually converted into C 



pact Peat 



Variety II. — Compact Peat. 



Compact Pt-at, Cleaveland, p. 416, 



4 



This variety has a much darker colour than the preceding, 

 and is nearly black 5 it is more dense, firm and compact, and 

 when dry exhibits an earthy fracture ; no yemains of organize 



vegetable matter can be discovered in it, excepting a few fibrillsB, 



and small roots. 



When recently dug, it is 



soft and slimy, and 



I 



easily cut into parallelopipedons 3 or 3 iaches square and 18 or 



SO inches long. 



These two varieties accompany and pass insensibly into each 

 ar^ the more spongy and loose being found at the surfaces but 



becoming more firm and compact as the distance from the surface 



increases. Trunks of trees are found in Peat, in a horizontal 

 position severiil feet below the surface, and in some instances, 



small beds of fine silecious sand. 



Peat when burning gives but 



flame, and 



a 



P 



and 



that of burning leather 5 



peculiar odour, similar to 

 it produces a strong heat, and affords' 

 an abundance of ashes, which are employed for scouring and 

 polishing brass^ &c. When Peat is burnt in a furnace, the ashes 

 vitrify and cake together, and if moistened in this state while hot 

 they emit the odouc of sulphuretted hydrogen. 



Large quantities of both varieties of Peat are found in New- 

 ton, Lexington^ Cambridge, Danvers, &c. * 



f 



.^ 



