Wisconsin State Agricultural Society. 
87 
the precipitation of the suspended peat, carries off a large percent¬ 
age of the oxide of iron and clay that has been floated in the water, 
thus removing by inexpensive devices the grosser impurities found 
in any or all deposits, in many cases constituting so large a per 
centage as to preclude its use as fuel. This mass of peat, solidified 
by precipitation and shrinkage, standing on its own base, is perfor¬ 
ated with air passages through every cubic foot from base to 
top, each acting to create a draught of the hot air of summer 
through these passages, whereby rapid evaporation continues with¬ 
out cost, except time, until the ultimate degree of the surrounding 
atmosphere is attained. In this form and condition it may be en¬ 
closed with earth and carbonized at the same cost as wood after it 
is cut and placed in the pit for burning to charcoal. By this 
process submerged bogs may be excavated and dredged to any 
depth below the surface of the water, without additional cost over 
the shallow beds. By this mode of dredging the peat only is raised, 
and as it is disintegrated it is washed free from sand and other gross 
heavy impurities without additional cost. 
It is thus excavated, dredged, washed, conveyed to and through 
the mill to dry land, and deposited in a condenser by hydraulic cur¬ 
rent alone, where it is condensed and dried by natural percola¬ 
tion to the drainage rods into the porous foundation, and these 
rods being withdrawn, air passages are formed by which the mois¬ 
ture is evaporated by natural currents of air, and the mass, dry 
and condensed, is stored until required for use, by one operation, 
and it is continuous and complete, at the minimum cost of pump¬ 
ing water to a height of 25 feet. This cost may be estimated by 
every one present. I base its cost upon the preparation of 250.000 
tons per annum, which would require 1,373 tons per day for 182 days, 
or work 20 hours per day, (the machinery can be worked continu¬ 
ously) would require 2,280 lbs. or one gross ton per minute. As the 
water is estimated at 93 to 7 of peat, or 3,250 gallons of water to be 
pumped to the height of 25 feet per minute, or 32,500 lbs. raised 25 
feet per minute would require 25 nominal horse-power. To exca¬ 
vate, disintregate and wash, 2,280 lbs, or 7 cubic yards of crude peat 
per minute, requires a jet of water discharged from a nozzle 11- inches 
in diameter, with a velocity of 125 feet per second, requiring a 40 
indicated horse-power. To grind 2,280 lbs. in water, to break up all 
fibre and air cells will require all indicated horse-power. 
