PRELIMINARY REPORT ON PEAT. 
305 
where it is over 2 to i the peat is coarse and imperfectly de¬ 
composed. It runs below iy 2 to 1 both in good black plastic peat 
and m some very impure samples, which might be better designated 
»s muck. 
The sulphur runs highest in estuarine peat, especially in that 
from Julington Creek (Nos. 6.21 and miscellaneous Nos. 2-5), 
and is pretty high in calcareous peat and that from Madison County. 
There is probably not enough of it to be objectionable in any of our 
samples, however. It is lowest in the samples from small filled 
lakes, bays, etc. No. 36.11 contains the least sulphur in proportion 
to other volatile matter, and No. 39.11 is a close second in that 
respect. (Both of these happen to be from tyty bays.) 
The nitrogen determinations unfortunately are too few to war¬ 
rant much generalization, but in other parts of the world the nitro¬ 
gen content of peat is rarely less than 1% or more than 3%, and the 
same seems to hold true in Florida, as far as our information goes. 
In fuel value our peat compares very well with that in other 
parts of the world. According to Davis, 5,760 B. T. U. per pound 
is a good average for wood, 8,500 for pressed peat, and 14,000 for 
anthracite coal. The average of the 53 determinations given in the 
above tables is 8,341; but if Mr. Ranson’s 26 samples combined 
(miscellaneous No. 6) had been counted separately the average 
would have been 8,833. Most of our samples (counting miscel¬ 
laneous No. 6 as only one again) exceed 9,050 B. T. U., two thirds 
of them exceed 8,500 (Davis’s average), and three fourths of them 
exceed 8,341 (our average). 
The highest fuel value is as a rule in the purest peat. No. 29.11 
(the purest) is best in that respect, though No. 16.11, with 15.5% 
of ash, and no plasticity (and therefore not adapted to be made 
into briquettes), stands very high in the list. It should be borne 
in mind that the fuel value given in these tables is on a water-free 
basis, which is never realized in practice, for peat as used always 
contains some water, which reduces its fuel value. But the v aly- 
ses are usually expressed in this way to eliminate differences due to 
variations in atmospheric humidity. 
G20 
