REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR AND STATE GEOLOGIST 1901 I'59 



Material Analyst Carbon Hydrogen Oxygen Nitrogen 



Feat, dark red brown, 



well decomposed Websky... 59.47 6.52 31.51 2.51 



Peat, black, very dense 



andhard " ...59.7 5.7 33.04 1.56 



Peat, black, heavy ) best " ...59.71 5.27 32.07 2.59 



>• for 

 Peat, brown, heavy ) fuel j " ... 62.54 6.81 29.24 1.41 



This table shows similarity but not identity of composition 

 between sphagnum and wood. 



It also shows an increase in the percentage of the carbon 

 contents as the material approaches more closely to true peat 

 in composition and character. 



According to Johnson the ripest and heaviest peat has 10$ to 

 12$ more carbon and 10$ to 12$ less oxygen than the vegetable 

 matter from which it is produced. 



The ultimate composition of the compounds contained in peat 

 is given by Johnson (p. 25), as follows : 



• Carbon Hydrogen Oxygen 



Ulmic acid 67.1 4.2 28.7 



Humic acid 61.1 4.3 34.6 



Orenic acid 56.47 2.74 40.78 



Apocrenic acid 45 . 7 4.8 49 . 5 



The ash of peat, representing the mineral matter contained in 

 it, varies much in composition. It may be chiefly silicious, or 

 again lime may predominate. Some peats have been found to 

 be high in sulfate of iron, and it is stated by Johnson that in 

 some cases they contained sufficient to make its extraction 

 profitable. These are known as vitriol peats. 



The bases found in the ash may have been combined with 

 the organic acids. 



The compounds given off during the decomposition of vege- 

 table matter are carbonic acid gas, marsh gas, nitrogen and 

 water. 



Websky found in the gas from a peat bed (Johnson, p. 27): 



C0 2 2.97 



0H 4 43.36 



N 53.67 



