MANGANESE. PEAT* 



341 



mines (New-Jersey), Cheshire and Wethersfield 

 (Connecticut), Singsing (New-York), &c. ; but, as 

 the quantity is too small to be worked in many 

 places to advantage, we pass it by. The same re- 

 marks will also apply to silver ore, a small quantity 

 of which is contained in nearly all our lead ores. 



Manganese occurs frequently in the form of an 

 earthy oxide, resembling bog iron ore, and is em- 

 ployed extensively in furnishing oxymuriatic acid 

 for bleaching, communicating a violet or purple 

 colour to glass, in painting porcelain, and furnish- 

 ing oxygen gas. It has not heretofore been in great 

 demand, but there is no doubt it exists in quantity 

 sufficient to supply the wants of the country. 



Peat. — Owing to the abundance of other kinds 

 of fuel, peat has not yet been brought into extensive 

 use, although it exists in inexhaustible quantities in 

 many parts of the United States. Peat is derived 

 from the vegetable fibres of partially decayed plants, 

 or from decayed wood, which is called ligneous 

 peat, though this is inferior to the other. The best 

 peat lies at a depth of three or four feet, and fre- 

 quently contains the trunks and branches of cedar 

 and other durable kinds of wood, which have un- 

 dergone little change. Though peat abounds in 

 cold and wet regions, it is rarely found in warm 

 climates, because vegetable decomposition is there 

 too rapid to allow of "^he preservation of organic 

 matter. 



It is unnecessary to mention localities w^here this 

 substance is found. Prof. Hitchcock estimates, that 

 in the eastern part of Massachusetts 80,000 acres, 

 or 125 square miles, are covered with it, being an 

 average thickness of six feet four inches. This 

 would yield at least 121,000,000 of cords. Prof. 

 Mather remarks, " that peat is so common in every 

 part of the first geological district (of New-York, 

 embracing the southern part), that it may be found 

 on almost every square mile. The value of peat* 



