History and uses of Peat. 251 



both before and after calcination, a considerable qflantity of 

 different salts, we shall perceive the full value of this kind of 

 combustible. 



These considerations have determined the Council of 

 Mines to present the following results of their investigations 

 to the Republic. 



1. What is Peat? 



Peat is a collection of vegetable substances, converted in- 

 to blackish, bituminous masses, more or less combustible, 

 mingled with divers portions of earth, sand, or the rubbish of 

 shells and other matters. 



2. What are its Properties ? 



It burns with a flame, exhaling a thick and fetid smoke 

 when it is first kindled ; after all its oily and volatile parts 

 are dissipated by combustion or carbonization, it then exhib- 

 its no further odour. It burns till it is perfectly incinerated, 

 and yields more ashes than any other combustible ; these 

 ashes are very valuable in agriculture. We can extract from 

 them more or less sulphate of potass, and often sulphate of 

 alumine. Peat, and the coal of peat, (for it is capable of 

 being charred,) may be put to the same uses as wood and 

 charcoal, and may be even advantageously employed in a 

 greater number of the arts. 



In peat beds, we have found fallen trees, well preserved 

 and impregnated with water ; animal bodies well preserved 

 also, whose skin appeared to have gone through a kind of 

 process of tanning. Many other observations show that the 

 water, which has penetrated peat beds, has antiseptic prop- 

 erties. 



3. What are the positions of Peat Beds, and how are they 

 found in nature ? 



Layers of peat are often found in places which are still cov- 

 ered with water ; but it is more frequently discovered at the 

 bottoms of basins of ancient lakes and ponds, in marshes 

 covered with stagnant water, or in currents which are neither 

 rapid nor tumultuous. We meet with peat at great heights, 

 upon the flat places of table lands of mountains, and even 

 upon their declivities, provided they are in a region which is 

 humid. We also find it upon different elevations upon hills 



