Mosses and Peat 
carried away, a cottongrass swamp may often de- 
velop. This plant (Eriophorum), with its exquisite 
silvery tassels of shining white down, must have been 
noticed by every one who has been on the Scotch or 
Yorkshire moors. : 
It has very tough, wiry, and indestructible leaf-bases 
or sheaths. As air can reach the roots by passing 
down between these sheaths, it is able to compete with 
the Sphagnum. What is known as a cottongrass 
moor is the field of battle between the two. The 
struggle may go on season after season, but if wet con- 
ditions prevail, the Sphagnum conquers, and if dry the 
heather will probably annex the cottongrass moor? 
The peat moss litter imparted from Holland seems 
to be the product of such cottongrass mosses. This 
is one of the few valuable products obtained from peat. 
Unfortunately it is unlikely to be used on a large scale, 
for manure made from peat moss litter is liable to con- 
tain the seeds of many dangerous weeds, and is also apt 
to produce a saturated water-logged soil. 
The enormous areas occupied by heather moors and 
peat mosses both in Scotland and Ireland are a serious 
economic loss. Enterprising landlords have in former 
times reclaimed a very large number of acres. 
The methods which were usually adopted in the 
south of Scotland about 1812-1825 or 1830 were as 
follows :— 
Good drains were first cut to carry off the surplus 
water, and then the heather and other growing plants 
were cut over and burnt. Sand or clay or estuarine silt 
was then distributed over the surface, and in most cases 
a large amount of lime was also laid down, Hea 
manuring was resorted to, especially in the first few years. 
The result of the labour and money spent upon re- 
clamation at that period was entirely satisfactory, for 
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