314 DR. ANGUS SMITH ON PEAT. 



years ago. This was measured, and found to be 2 J to 3f 

 feet thick to the bottom, to which point it had been dug, 

 leaving only the upper turf for the continuation. This 

 peat was of a light brown when dug up, but blackened 

 when we were looking at it, and next day was very black. 

 It was pronounced by all who saw it to be good burning 

 peat. 



It is not necessary to accumulate instances, or I could tell 

 of persons who have cut peat twice in the same spot. A 

 cotter at Dun MacUisneachan cut it twice in twelve years 

 on Lochawe-side ; but then the thickness was only a foot, a 

 proportionally large growth j however, another, a compa- 

 ratively young man, had cut it twice in fifteen years, and so 

 on. Davidson tells me that at Durris, turf is considered 

 fit for cutting in fifty years, as already mentioned. 



I may gain here something from youthful reminis- 

 cences. I remember the peat-cutting on the north side of 

 Lochawe forty years ago. There were many deep places 

 very extensive also ; but now they are quite level with the 

 surrounding country, except on the parts very near the 

 roads. The village of Stronmilichan had then many more 

 inhabitants than now, and peat was the only fuel. 



It is pleasant to give here extracts from the Reports of 

 the Irish Commission, and especially the opinions and 

 experience of Sir Richard I. Griffiths, Bart. 



First Bog Report, or Report of the Commissioners appointed 

 to inquire into the nature and extent of the several boys 

 in Ireland. (18 10.) 



Page 6. "It appears, from Mr. Griffith, that each of 

 the four bogs included in the subject of his Report is a 

 mass of the peculiar substance called Peat, of the average 

 thickness of twenty-five feet, nowhere less than twelve, 

 nor found to exceed forty-two, this substance varying ma- 



