

CARBONIZATION OF TURF. 137 



is a great advantage in burning turf therefore, supposing it 

 even not to be pressed, and that in this case it would re- 

 quire two, three, or even four parts to one of wood; for, 

 if we consider the value of both, we shall find, that for 

 the same price three times as much turf as wood may be 

 burned. 



But the public are unwilling to adopt this economical Objections to 

 practice, alleging, that turf emits a disagreeable smell *, n ' 

 and gives but little heat. 



All these errors would be dissipated, if fire places were Not valid in 

 constructed nearly like those used in England for burning E ,"^ s sh fire " 

 coal or coak ; and I may add, that I have had the pleasure 

 of seeing persons, who were greatly averse to innovation, 

 rejoice at having made trial of a fire place of my construc- 

 tion, for the use of a species of a fuel on which they would 

 scarcely deign to cast an eye. See PI. IV. figs. 4, 5, 6. 



Turf does not always afford an equal quantity of char- Proportions of 

 coal, and of course the quantity of ashes must vary in the charc ° al > and 

 same proportions. I have seen turf that afforded 0*38 or duced from 

 0-40 of charcoal, which left on incineration 0-17 or 0*18 of turfi 

 ashes. I do not mention certain kinds, that have produced 

 0*50 of ashes, since from these must be subtracted 0*35 of 

 ferruginous sand, which they contained. 



The turf that I employed in my manufactory produced, 

 after a well managed process, from 0-38 to 0-42 of char- 

 coal, and yielded from 0*13 to 0-16 of ashes; but I am in- 

 clined to think, that, when the saving occasioned by the 

 use of the gases is considered, the quantity of charcoal may 

 be raised by secondary improvements to 0*50. The quan- 

 tity of ashes produced by turf charcoal will be thought 

 very considerable, when compared with the quantity arising 

 from sound wood. Thus on examining oak freed from its and from oak, 

 alburnum, and of fifty years growth, we find that fifty parts 

 yield from twenty to twenty-one of charcoal, and from two 

 to two and a half of ashes. 



Finally I will add, that pressed turf, or turf of a very Turf may be 

 good quality, may be used in burning bricks or tiles; and " se £ in ™ ak,n £ 

 in baking common earthen- ware, &c. for three fourths of earthen ware. 



* This smell is produced only by unprepared turf. 



L the 



