DR. ANGUS SMITH ON PEAT. 317 



Fourth Bog Report. (1814.) 



P. 112. "Composition and Growth of Red Bog. — The 

 composition of the upper and lower bogs is exactly the 

 same, and is similar to that described in my former Reports, 

 particularly in the section of the turf-bank in Timahoe Bog, 

 — that is, a regular gradation from spongy moss to a com- 

 pact mass resembling pitch, or pitch coal. In the bog of 

 Killcashiel (one of the upper bogs) I had an opportunity of 

 observing the annual increase in height or growth of a bog 

 for twenty years, which, in the spot where I noticed the 

 fact, was about two inches for each year : this may seem 

 an extraordinary increase ; but the situation appeared to be 

 particularly favourable to the growth of moss. 



" Twenty years ago the water from a small lake situated 

 close to the edge of the bog of Killcashiel was drawn off 

 by a drain cut from the lake to a stream which runs 

 beyond the edge of the bog ; it was intended to improve 

 the bog beneath the water, and that immediately adjoining 

 the banks of the lake. The improvement was not followed 

 up, and the drain was suffered in part to close. The 

 bottom of the lake was now exposed to air; but the bog 

 below remained still highly saturated with water. Moss 

 immediately began to vegetate, and has continued to in- 

 crease in height ever since. 



" I was enabled clearly to observe this fact, from a turf- 

 bank having been cut into the place where the lake formerly 

 was ; and, from the variety in the colour and texture, I cal- 

 culated the annual growth of the moss, with nearly as much 

 accuracy as the age of a Scotch-fir tree may be determined 

 by observing the number of concentric rings visible when 

 the stem is cut across ." 



P. 167. "The circumstance of the scarcity of fuel has 

 induced Mr. Greene of Kilranalagh to stop the water in 

 the drains, in part of a bog near his house, from which 



