Annual  Report  of  the  Consulting  Chemist  for  1882.  245 
potash  for  years  without  eliminating  from  it  appreciable  quan- 
tities of  ammonia,  and  have  never  been  able  to  notice  any 
beneficial  effect  upon  grass-land  upon  which  leather-waste  had 
been  applied  in  large  quantities.  In  buying  leather-waste,  it 
is  of  importance  to  ascertain  beforehand  whether  the  refuse  is 
really  untanned  skin-waste,  which  is  readily  decomposed,  or 
common  tanned  leather-refuse,  which  has  no  material  value  as 
a manure. 
Peat- moss  Fibre. — Attention  is  directed  to  the  nature  of  peat- 
fibre  as  a substitute  of  straw  as  litter. 
A short  time  ago  a gentleman  sent  me  for  analysis  a sample 
of  peat-fibre,  and  requested  an  opinion  as  to  its  adaptability  for 
litter  in  the  place  of  straw,  also  its  manurial  value  and  power  of 
absorbing  water  as  compared  with  straw.  He  likewise  wished 
to  know  whether  the  peat-fibre  was  likely  to  be  injurious  in  any 
way  to  animals  lying  upon  it,  and  whether  the  manure  produced 
by  its  use  might  injure  the  crops  to  which  it  is  applied. 
The  peat-fibre,  a part  of  which  was  light  brown  and  another 
deeper  brown-coloured,  and  very  voluminous,  had  the  following 
composition  : — 
Moisture 12 ‘80 
‘Organic  matter  85  • 1 3 
Mineral  matter  (ash)  2 • 07 
100-00 
* Containing  nitrogen -61 
Equal  to  ammonia  -74 
Peat-fibre  absorbs  water  to  a much  larger  extent  than  straw, 
and  possesses  the  additional  advantage  of  being  an  excellent  fixer 
of  ammonia,  in  virtue  of  the  humic  acids  occurring  in  the  peat. 
Stables  and  cowsheds  in  which  peat-fibre  is  used  as  litter  are 
sweeter  than  those  in  which  straw  is  used  for  the  same  purpose. 
Peat-fibre,  in  my  judgment,  is  not  injurious  to  horses  or 
horned  cattle  that  lie  upon  it,  nor  do  I think  that  the  manure 
made  by  its  employment  can  possibly  injure  the  crops  to  which 
it  is  applied.  The  direct  manurial  properties  of  peat-fibre  are 
insignificant,  but,  as  just  stated,  it  is  an  excellent  material  for 
absorbing  the  urine,  and  for  absorbing  and  retaining  the  most 
valuable  constituents  of  the  liquid  and  solid  excrements  of 
cattle  or  horses. 
A Member  of  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society,  who  for  some 
time  past  has  used  peat-fibre  as  a substitute  for  straw,  informs 
me  that  1 ton  of  peat-fibre  is  equal  to  nearly  2 tons  of  straw  as 
litter,  and  consequently  its  use  effects  a considerable  saving  in 
