i 4 6 



Utilisation of Peat Land. 



[JUNE, 



THE UTILISATION OF PEAT LAND ON THE 

 CONTINENT. 



The extent of peat land in several Continental countries is 

 very considerable, and much attention has been directed to the 

 question of the different means of utilising these unproductive 

 stretches of country. In Germany the peat area is estimated 

 to be about 30,000 square kilometres (more than 11,000 square 

 miles), while in Sweden nearly 13,000,000 acres are said to 

 consist of moor and turf. In Austria again, extensive tracts of 

 moorland exist, which are officially returned at some 100,000 

 acres, though the area is believed to be understated. This 

 class of soil occurs also in Holland and Denmark. The problem 

 of the best method of turning these waste lands to some 

 profitable use may be approached from two sides, either as 

 regards the industrial use of peat for fuel, for fibre, fodder, 

 litter, &c, or agriculturally with a view to the reclamation and 

 cultivation of the soil. 



As regards the industrial products fuel is perhaps the most 

 important, and there are three kinds of peat fuel commonly 

 employed in Europe : — (1) The " cut peat " prepared by cutting 

 the crude peat out of the bog in blocks and drying in the air ; 



(2) " machine peat," procured by pulping the wet material, 

 sometimes with the addition of water, and then cutting or mould- 

 ing into blocks and drying with or without artificial heat ; and 



(3) " peat briquettes," made by artificially drying and compress- 

 ing powdered peat. Peat charcoal is also made. 



Another way in which peat is used industrially is in the 

 manufacture of peat moss litter, peat dust, and peat fibre. 

 Peat dust (Torfmull) is used for disinfecting purposes, for 

 preserving meat, fish, and fruit, and for the nlling-up of walls 

 and ceilings, &c. Peat moss litter (Torfstreu) is very valuable 

 as a substitute for straw, as it is very absorbent and prevents 

 the escape of nitrogen in the form of ammonia. The material 

 used for these products is the layer lying between the living 

 vegetation, which usually covers the surface of peat moors, 

 and the true black turf which is used as fuel. This upper 

 layer was first employed for the preparation of litter and similar 

 absorbent products, and for this purpose the fibrous portion of 

 the peat was removed. It was somewhat difficult to find a 

 method of utilising this fibrous product, but about 1880 an 



