46 THE REPORT OF THE [l» 



Dr. Woolverton, chairman of the Section, revisited Kettle Point and its vicinity 

 during the summer. In addition to the rocks noticed last year he traced an outcrop of 

 Oorniferous limestones, distant about two miles from the present shore of Lake Huron 

 and parallel to it. A species of large spirifer (Spiri/er increbescens) was abundant. The 

 specimens collected were much larger than S. mucronatus, abundant near Thedford. The 

 rocks are lower than those of Thedford and Arkona. They form an old shore line, and 

 between them and the lake are extensive sand dunes. Economically they furnish a coarse 

 lime for rough building purposes, but contain too much iron for use in buildings of the 

 better class. An old Indian trail crosses this lime bed. The Indians throughout Lambton 

 Oounty have a general tradition that a silver lead mine exists somewhere in the vicinity. 

 Among other places No. 4 hill in Bosanquet, three miles from Arkona, is pointed as the 

 location of the mine, but the Doctor was unable to find any tracB of it. Another locality 

 pointed out is a bluff on Black Greek, near Oil Springs, where it is said the Indians formerly 

 made their own bullets. Like the Indian idea that a seam of coal exists under water at 

 Kettle Point, the notion that a galena vein exists in Lambton is not generally believed. 



Strontium Caves. 



Mr. Percival paid a second visit to the Strontium sulphate cave at Putin-Bay 

 Island. Another cave of large size, named Dossard's, has been discovered on an adjoin- 

 ing lot. It contains some crystals of Strontium, and has stalactities and stalagmities. 

 It is in the form of a crescent, and is said to be 700 feet in length. Like Perry's cave in 

 the same vicinity, it is in limestone rock. 



Peat Beds. 



A number of the members of the section visited a peat bed, situated about 3 miles 

 west of London at Redmond's farm. It lies in a low spot bordered by high hills on the 

 east and north. Toward* the south a barrier not more than a few feet in height isolates 

 it from the River Thames. In the centre is a pond of clear spring water over 60 feet in 

 depth. This spring is capable of furnishing one million gallons per day of excellent 

 water, and as it is only about f mile from Springbank it will probably in time become 

 valuable. This water finds its way through gravel beds into the river. The surface of 

 the pond is 109 feet above the river. Around the margin of the bed is a tangled growth 

 of firs, willows or other shrubs. Farther in are cranberry and other low bushes, while 

 thickly covering every available spot is a feathery "mo3s called Sphagnum, with occasion- 

 ally pitcher and other aquatic plants. This peat bed covers about 48 acres, and is quite 

 deep over most of the surface. A depth of 60 feet has been measured during the winter 

 season when the pond is frozen over. Members of our Section measured it where prac- 

 ticable, and found from 8 to 20 feet of good peat in its outer zone. Mr. Kirk and others 

 have tested its quality as a fuel, and have found it to be of a high standard. Some of it 

 is remarkably dense for peat, and when air-dried for a few days it requires considerable 

 force to break it. The specific gravity of one sample was but little below 1, which is 

 about four times as dense as peat usually is. It is easily kindled, burns with a bright 

 flame, gives off great heat, and burns almost entirely away. Only an insignificant amount 

 of ash remains. The ash is light and flaky, and is entirely free from slag or clinkers. 



As Ontario possesses at a moderate estimate 1,000,000 acres of peat, the economic 

 value of this hitherto neglected fuel is very apparent. It will soon be appreciated on 

 this continent as it has been for so long in the Old World. Goal contains from 1 to H 

 per cent, of sulphur, and this forty to sixty pounds of sulphur per ton has a most damag- 

 ing effect on the iron smelted by its agency. Peat contaias no sulphur, and is to be used 

 in our new iron furnaces at Orillia, For domestic use it is soon to be put on the market 

 at Stratford and elsewhere. A company is now being formed to develop our local beds. 

 Sphagnum is the best material for paper-making, and a cloth for making antiseptic 

 bandages is being now made from it. For steam raising peat is an ideal fuel, filling the 

 firebox with flame, while it is without the disadvantage of the sulphur which corrodes the 

 firebox and tubes of the boiler. Bting almost smokeless it would be most welcome as a 

 domestic fuel, and for factory use. When destructively distilled peat yields besides vari- 



