History and uses of Peat, 257 



seek for fuel of this kind. But in the greater part of the val- 

 leys in which it is obtained in France, a method more con- 

 venient for small estates has been pursued, by making only 

 partial openings. However, instead of improving the ground, 

 this plan pierces it with holes, filling it with stagnant waters, 

 which diffuse disease among the adjoinmg habitations, at the 

 same time that considerable peat is left in the marsh. It 

 is a great fault to notch and cut up ground so irregularly and 

 promiscuously, that a great part of it is necessarily lost, by 

 means of the masses which are left ; and the communication 

 of the waters which distil from one opening to another, ren- 

 ders the labour very difficult, and often causes the work to be 

 abandoned. 



It is hence indispensable, in working peat beds, to attend 

 to their localities and levels, in order to have the ditches 

 made in such a manner as to allow the water to run off with 

 ease. 



Sometimes the peat rests upon sand, or upon stones that 

 are inclined, furrowed, or of a porous nature, and disposed 

 to absorb the water. These circumstances are fortunate for 

 clearing a peat marsh of its water, and it suffices to dig till 

 this porous earth is found. By this means, a draining well 

 is formed, sufficient to remove all the water from the peat 

 bed. When the beds are near ponds or lakes, we can often 

 drain them by temporarily lowering these great reservoirs. 



One precaution is still necessary To have so much 



ground, that there may be room to spread the peat, and dry 

 it upon the spot. At Menncey, where the beds are dug sev- 

 en points in depth, it is calculated that six acres of surface 

 are necessary to spread the peat which is raised from one 

 acre; that is, nearly as many points of surface as there are 

 cubical points of peat removed. 



It is evident, that the dryer the ground on which the peat 

 is spread, the more the operation of desiccation will be ac- 

 celerated. 



9. Details of the Process of working Peat Beds. 



When the arrangements are made for working a peat bed, 

 some of the workmen who are called deblayeurs (clearers) 

 at the lowest place, where a beginning is to be made, take 

 off the sward, and the vegetable mould, with a common 

 spade, from the surface of about nine feet square. This rub- 

 bish is removed five or six feet from the opening, in order to 



Vol. XV.— No. 2. 8 



