Moors, mossbs, and bogs. 237 
h ,J!||'"^'ssioners appointed by Parliament to inquire 
\abii and extent of tlie bogs of Ireland, and the 
It ''■'^bil extent OI me OOgs or jieiauu, aim iins 
J lionsg y draining them, represent them as occupy- 
ij 'ffe a^‘."ds of acres— indeed, many square miles. Their 
Constituent parts are described by them as con- 
^sivg 'ji’ accumulation of vegetable matter, settling in 
<c 
^'-'-Ulimuiuoil tu VCgci.Uiic luaLici, avuiiixij^ *x* 
l^i||<:titligj.Sciifcrations on itself, and occasioned by the want 
'tills' ’'C'J. to a stagnant pool, which first furnished the 
ly -■ q-i ' ‘de and increase of the plants covering its sur- 
C?'Ve(j V Progress of the accumulation may be best 
o, "in y 'tuagining a basin, or concave reservoir, of a 
'til'** *'ill^*"^ deiJth, formed of clay, limestone, gravel, 
V’ ^Cann obdurate materials, tlirough which tire 
'(j[, ,'. y b>ut constantly supplied, cannot obtain an 
V. ' dec' '^ds water, a surface of bog moss 
' y'Ns , ^y** and putrefies. To this a second generation 
'Ijiilb’^'nd tills is followed by others, until, at length, 
bill- . of itfi . ^orm* 
\ 1 
Considerably above the level of its bed, torm- 
various heigiits, shapes, and dimensions, 
afid ® a bog is not level like a lake, but undulat- 
dlcy,] 'cniinates somewhat abruptly, and almost 
tljg jCly, average height of the great bogs, 
0* t\Vo b'lgfi water mai'k in Dublin harbour, is 
H? bavg , ‘'undred and fifty feet. Many acres of these 
V* Cup*' teclaimed ; and the practicability of drain- 
li|KitUgj dating the greater proportion of them has 
'■v'"'* of ’ North Britain, abounds in mosses, tlie 
'1|P Tbe are computed to exceed nine thousand 
‘ '* ligj S}catest height of the moss, above the clay on 
cpt in the reports of the Commissioners. 
* infill Tlt-ifotn aV\rintiH'5 In mnSfifiS. 
31*^3 J** *°urteen°feet and a half. Its surface, when 
\l| *'®ti c[ *®^3nce, seems wholly covered with heath j 
f’tl of f ®’^®‘''>ned, is found to be composed of 
. Hcr» intermixed with a variety of moss 
'■*'' - 
. 
, . -.v; an *°‘'. of SoLWAV Moss lias greatly attracted 
the ^ although the cause of it is obvi- 
I '9s jj* station it produced on the surface of the 
' 3s tej^p oonslderable than any known in Great 
from a natural cause, since tlie destruc- 
"Cdcn, intermixea witn a variety oi raoss- 
i; "'iiig ®^®o are found innumerable trunks of trees, 
I, '^W 'o their roots, the latter being still fixed 
i?% die j for. although the cause of it is obvi 
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