341 
Mr. Henry Anderson, of Ballynacree, Ballymony, county 
Antrim, in his prize essay, (printed in the transactions of the 
Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland,) on the em- 
ployment of peat in burning clay drain pipes and tiles, states, 
that coals can be delivered at his works, after payment of all 
expenses, at 13s. per ton, either from the ports of Glasgow 
or Ardrossan, and the amount requisite for burning 25,000 
2-inch pipes is 7 tons, thus costing £4 lis. per kiln, or 
3s. 8d. per 1,000 ; while peat can be purchased at 6d. per 
guage, (a measure of 3 ft. square,) and 120 guages, or £3 
worth are required to burn a kiln of equal size, thus shewing 
a saving in favour of peat of 31s. on every 25,000 pipes, or 
nearly Is. 3d. on every 1,000 pipes; which, in an article of 
large consumption and little value, is well worthy of con- 
sideration. 
A comparison between the calorific values of air-dried 
peat, and peat perfectly dried, shews the important advan- 
tage derivable from depriving the peat of its moisture. For 
example, whilst the mean calorific value of air-dried peat in 
Dr. Brix's experiments is 3.15, that of perfectly dried peat is 
5.02, or more than 59 per cent, greater, and equal to more than 
68 per cent, of the average heating power of coal. It must 
always be borne in mind, that when peat or any other fuel is 
not perfectly dry, it has first to evaporate its own moisture, 
before it can be made available to communicate heat to any 
other body. Amongst the many advantages possessed by 
peat as fuel may be enumerated, — 1. The total absence 
of any metallic sulphurets. 2. The large amount of volatile 
matter evolved during its combustion, whereby its heat 
is diffused over a large surface, rendering it well suite 
for purposes requiring quick evaporation. 3. Absence of 
smoke in its combustion. 4. The ashes which remain never 
aggregate so as to form a clinker, and consequently there is 
little or no attention required to keep the bars of the furnace 
clear for the draught. 
