i873-] PeaL 475 



blocks of the required size, and these are then stacked 

 in small open heaps to dry in the air. Where there is much 

 water in the cuttings, dredgers of various sorts are used for 

 raising the peat. The object of the present paper, however, 

 not being to describe antiquated processes, but rather to 

 take some notice of the modern improvements in the treat- 

 ment of peat which the recent high price of coal has called 

 forth, we shall abstain from any further remarks upon the 

 preparation of what is known as " ordinary" peat, that is, 

 peat simply cut and dried in the open air, without any 

 further attempts at artificial preparation. 



To obviate the natural inconveniences arising from the 

 use of raw, or "ordinary," peat, attempts were made in 

 1821 to compress it into blocks. This plan was first com- 

 menced in Germany ; afterwards it was adopted in Sweden, 

 at the iron mines of Eckman ; subsequently it was intro- 

 duced into France ; and, lastly, it was brought to England 

 about the year 1837. Numerous processes have been 

 patented for the purpose of compressing peat, but they have 

 been unattended with any satisfactory results. At first 

 attempts were made to compress the peat when in a partially 

 dry state, but this proved a failure, as it did not achieve the 

 desired end. Attention was next directed to means for com- 

 pressing it whilst moist, and for this purpose powerful 

 hydraulic presses were used ; but they, instead of driving 

 out the moisture, tended to confine it within the fuel. This 

 plan failing attempts were made to substitute chemical 

 agencies for the expulsion of the water, and the formation 

 of the peat into compact blocks ; but, as might have been 

 expected, such treatment would no more produce the desired 

 results than force unscientifically applied as above referred to. 



At Haspelmoor and at Kolbermoor, in Bavaria, there are 

 works in which compression of peat by force is, however, 

 carried out at the present day. The system, technically 

 known as " Exter's," consists in obtaining the peat from the 

 surface of a bog (previously well drained and levelled) in 

 the condition of a fine mould or powder, which, when 

 partially dried by exposure to the sun and air, is scraped 

 together in thin layers, and removed to the place of manu- 

 facture, where, being dried more fully by artificial heat, it is 

 subjected to powerful mechanical compression effected by 

 steam machinery. The cost of this compressed turf for the 

 past year was estimated at about equal to 12s. sterling per 

 ton. This system is essentially the same as that for which 

 works were at one time erected at Derrylea, in Ireland, 

 where the results were commercially unsuccessful. At 



