296 DR. ANGUS SMITH ON PEAT. 



It gives larch as 0-694 to 0*924; the weight of the air- 

 dried pine 41 lbs. per cubic foot, and of larch 30, Hanove- 

 rian measure. The Hanoverian pound is larger than ours, 

 and the foot less; and we have 51*8 lbs. to a cubic foot of 

 the pine, and 37*9 lbs. for the larch. If a cubic foot weighed 

 86, and shrank down until an equal space weighed 50, we 

 should have a loss of 42 p.c. without allowing for shrink- 

 age. We shall not be far wrong if we call it 50 ; and 

 this makes 203,000 lbs. an acre in 35 years or 2*5 tons per 

 annum of dry fibre, equal to about 2 tons of coal. This 

 is not an amount that must everywhere be expected. 



Let us compare this with the growth of peat on the 

 same estate. We have in 44 years 30 inches, equal to 

 108,900 cubic feet on an acre; of this every cubic foot 

 weighed 57*8 lbs., which dried to 11 '56. We have, then, 

 in 44 years 1,252,350 lbs. of dry combustible matter, or 

 559 tons, or 127 tons per annum, which being taken at 

 the value spoken of, nearly i\ of peat to one of coal, is equal 

 to 5 '6 tons of coal. In this calculation there is no hypo- 

 thetical quantity. 



This certainly is a marvellous result. The amount ob- 

 tained appears to be less by my estimation than by taking 

 the figures spoken of in the extracts to be given ; but we ap- 

 pear to come to the conclusion that in a wet and cold climate 

 the best mode of growing combustible matter is by the culti- 

 vation of peat. The expense of growth must then be con- 

 sidered. The peat from which the data last given have 

 been obtained was grown so high up that no trees were 

 found; it was on land that was valuable for nothing but 

 that by which it was occupied. The value in rent was 

 scarcely any thing for grazing; let us say, fourpence an 

 acre. There was no inclosure, thus saving one of the great 

 expenses of wood-growing ; there was no forester required 

 to look after the trees ; there were no rabbits, sheep, or cattle 

 to kill the young or old ; there was no interruption to 



