REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR AND STATE GEOLOGIST 1903 31 



a percentage of nitrogen as the result of the decomposition of 

 vegetable matter is an impossibility, for the peat contains nearly 

 all the original nitrogen of the plants, or its place has been taken 

 by nitrogen washed in by rains. Again, though the decomposi- 

 tion is largely a process of deoxidation, and a much smaller per- 

 centage of CO2 is given off than is the case when the vegetation 

 decays under ordinary conditions, yet the small percentage of 

 this gas given is probably incorrect, for water takes up its own 

 bulk of carbon dioxid, while only about 5^ of its bulk of marsh 

 gas is taken up by water. It will thus be seen that the tendency 

 is for the COg to be dissolved in the water and taken from the 

 water by Mollusca, while the marsh gas is thrown off into the 

 air. In this way the small percentage of OO2 in the gas from 

 a bog may possibly be explained. In addition, we must account 

 for the disappearantce of a large percentage of oxygen, which can 

 not be accounted for in any other way than by supposing that 

 the amount of CO2 formed is greater than is indicated by the 

 analyses given above. 



