540 State of the Weather each Month in 1809. 
ties of peat-moss which distinguish it from 
mould, or any mass of vegetable matter. 
(1.) Inflammability is one of these ‘qua- 
lities. This may be accounted for even 
on the hypothesis that it is of vegetable 
origin. The vast proportion of simple 
and compound inflammables, found in 
that substance, all formed of the ele- 
mentary principles of vegetable matter, 
are sufficient to account for this quality. 
(2.) That peat-moss is antiseptic, and 
retards the putrid fermentation either of 
vegetable or animal matter, immers- 
ed in it, is another quality which dis- 
tinguishes that substance. ‘The vege- 
table acids, the gums and resins, and 
the bituminous matter formed by the 
combination of all these elementary 
principles, may account for this quality. 
(3.) The jet-black colour of some moss 
distinguishes it from mould. The for- 
mer will dye wool, wood, and ivory, 
black; the latter will not. This is ow- 
ing to the combination of the vegetable 
and mineral acids in the moss with 
jron, (4.) The tenacity of peat forms a 
distinguishing quality of that substance. 
Tt is nota loose, friable, porous substance, 
when dried, like mould, or any other mass 
of vegetable matter, but a tenacious, 
impervious, insoluble substance. The 
bitumen it contains, and the insoluble 
compounds formed by the tanmin and 
iron in the moss, are the chief causes of 
this distinguishing quality. (5.) The 
acidity of peat is owing to the vegetable 
and mineral! acids, which are detceted 
jn it, and (6.) The sterility of that sub- 
stance as a soi', may also be accounted 
for. Itis imposstble here to detail the 
accurate and ingenious account which 
the doctos gives of this quality, and the 
causes of it, so as to do jusuce to his ex- 
cellent essay on the subject. J there- 
fore refer to that essay, as not. only 
a novel, but by far the most ac- 
curate, ingenious, and satistactory, 
view of the subject I have ever read. 
Every “proprietor of peat-inoss in the 
ghree kmgdoms, ought to. be in posses- 
gion of it. i . 
I rather think it better to state that, 
in conformity with the general -hypo- 
thesis he adopts as to the origin of 
peat-moss, he clearly shews thatall these 
distinguishing qualities belong to coal, 
jet, and all the ‘varieties of bitu- 
yninous matter, All are inflamma- 
bic, antiseptic, of a similar colour and 
consistencys all contain an acidity and 
ail are equally sterile as peat-moss. So 
ghat she alliance between all these sub-. 
- 
! t ey 
[July Fy 
stances becomeg more obvious, and their 
vegetable origin Jess doubtful, on this’ 
account. se 
T cannot avoid a few remarks on the 
last essay of theangenious doctor. It is 
like the rest,a most masterly production. 
His object is, V. To classify the different 
kinds of peat-moss. Of all subjécts in na- 
tural history this has been least attended 
to, and therefore least understood. All” 
other authors on this subject have classed 
peat-mosses according to their colour,con- 
sistency, or the plants of which they 
were composed. We were never satisfied 
with this mode, and the learned doctor 
has detected the defects of it to our com= 
plete satisfaction, His classification is 
new, ‘and equally correct and important. 
Correct, for it is founded on chemical 
principles which cannot be controverted ; 
Important, for he has shewn in the most 
satisfactory manner, that each of these 
kinds requires different treatment to con=" 
vert 1t into a soil, manure, fuel, or other 
economical purposes. 
I rejoice to see a suite of practical 
essays announced by the same author. 
If they are in as luminous a style, and 
display equal talents, they must bé a vast 
acquisition to the interests of agricuiture. 
With eagerness | look for the publis 
cation of them, and with much pleasure 
shall embrace the earliest opportunity of 
pointing out the subject and outlines of 
them, * CaNDIDUS. 
For the Monthly Magazine. 
STATE of the weaTHER each MONTH 
2 1809. “itor 
January 1st TR REQUENTLYsnow,with 
to 6ih. high SE. wind and smart: 
frost. On the 6th snow lay about four 
inches deep; but that day’a thaw set in, 
which soon dissolved thesnew. Though 
cold, the weather continued open tll’ 
the 13th, but often gloomy, with at mes 
rain and sleet, (particularly heavy on 
the 10th.) On the 13th, a most intensé 
frost set in, which continued exactly a 
fortnight; “wind variable, often caim,’ 
barometer moving gradually ; little snow 
on the ground till the 2ist, when it fell 
to the depth of three inches. On thé 
26th we had another fall of snow, with 
a high east wind, by which it drifted toa 
considerable depth in some parts of the 
country; in this neighbourhood seven or 
eight inches at amedium, On the 27th, 
wind shitting to SW. a most rapid thaw 
took place, which dissolved the whole 
mass of snow in little more than twenty* 
: F PE ORE Gea four 
s 
