21)2 DR. ANGUS SMITH ON PEAT. 



most cases, and say that an acre of land would be very 

 well set aside for a family for fuel, and that it would 

 produce more value than an acre of land used for other 

 crops in very wet districts and on cold hills. 



It would, of course be needful to inquire into the best 

 positions for peat-growing. At present we only know it 

 generally ; but we know enough to begin successfully. 



It has been desired to show that even on fair land one 

 acre might be preserved for a small family; but if the fa- 

 mily had several apartments with fires, more would be 

 wanted. On the hills and among sheep-farms, counting by 

 thousands of acres, this is really nothing ; in lowlands in 

 outlying districts it can still have calculation in its favour. 

 It must not, however, be supposed that if a few acres pay 

 well, a few more will pay also. It is economical in the 

 case in question to cultivate only for the neighbourhood. 

 If more is attempted, cartage will cause a loss. 



In short, I advocate a systematic peat-agriculture in the 

 north carried on so as to have easy carriage to every house 

 far from railways and deprived of access from any cause; 

 and I have reason to believe that even in this age many 

 would be great gainers, whilst the gain will increase as coal 

 becomes dearer. 



Growth of Wood. 



But some one will naturally ask, why not grow wood ? 

 This question has already been partly answered ; but it may 

 be somewhat further examined. I wish to show that peat 

 will grow in places where it is extremely difficult, if at all 

 possible, to raise wood, and, next, that the growth of peat 

 is more rapid than the growth of wood. For the prevention 

 of excessive floods nothing is better than peat, on account 

 of the enormous amount of water it retains ; it is a natu- 

 ral reservoir and a forest at the same time. 



As to the first point, the difficulty of raising wood. It 



