776 
Peat and its Products .' 
The finer quality of the peat fibre is used for mattresses 
for the Government barracks, hospitals, &c. ; the coarser is 
chiefly used for stuffing-boxes, coffer-dams, &c. 
It may be useful to supplement this record of Continental 
experiences with a few details from a paper, published in 1889, 
by Dr. Bernard Dyer upon “ Peat Moss Litter,” 
wherein are 
given the following analyses 
of peat-moss litter and wheat-straw 
chaff :■ — 
Peat moss 
Straw 
Moisture 
. 1246 
10-33 
Organic matter . 
. 8616 
82-07 
Phosphoric acid . 
•02 
•11 
Lime .... 
•15 
•29 
Potash 
•01 
•99 
Magnesia, &c. 
■48 
•47 
Silica .... 
•72 
5-74 
100-00 
10000 
Nitrogen 
•81 
•62 
Equal to ammonia 
•98 
•75 
It is probable that the chief value of straw itself as an ingredient in farm 
or stable manure lies in its potash, of which peat moss contains scarcely any ; 
and its nitrogen is also more valuable than that in peat moss. But the value 
of the dung made with either material rests mainly on the excrementitious 
matters absorbed, and as peat moss can absorb and retain more, it is capable 
of malting better manure. Its value, however, is clearly dependent upon 
the extent to which it has been saturated— in other words, the length of time 
it has been under the animals. 
The subjoined analyses of samples of dung made with peat- 
moss litter and with straw respectively are placed side by side 
to facilitate comparison : — 
Water 
Staple Manure made 
with Peat-moss Litter 
Average of two samples 
Natural Calculated 
state dry 
. 77-84 — 
Stable Manure made 
with Straw 
Average of three samples 
Natural Calculated 
state dry 
. 7003 — 
Organic matter 
. 18 02 
81-12 
. 24-33 
82-36 
Phosphoric acid 
•37 
1-69 
•43 
1-38 
(Equal to phosphate of lime) ( 80) 
(3-09) . 
. (94) 
(3 01) 
Lime .... 
•33 
1-50 
•70 
2-26 
Potash 
. P02 
4-50 
•59 
209 
Magnesia, &c. 
. 1 08 
5-20 
1-30 
386 
Siliceous matter . 
. 1-34 
5-99 
2 62 
805 
Organic nitrogen 
100 00 
•37 
100-00 
1-67 
100-00 
•42 
100-00 
1-48 
Ammoniacal and nitric nitrogen - 51 
2-26 
•19 
•66 
Total nitrogen . 
•88 
3-96 
•61 
2T4 
Equal to ammonia 
. 1-07 
4-80 
. -74 
260 
