condensation, must be for the domestic use of
the farmer or villager who owns a supply of it not far from his
dwelling, and can employ his own time in getting it out. Though worth
perhaps much less cord for cord when dry than hard wood, it may be
cheaper for home consumption than fuel brought from a distance.

Various processes have been devised for preparing peat, with a view to
bringing it into a condition of density and toughness, sufficient to
obviate its usual faults, and make it compare with wood or even with
coal in heating power.

The efforts in this direction have met with abundant success as regards
producing a good fuel. In many cases, however, the cost of preparation
has been too great to warrant the general adoption of these processes.
We shall recur to this subject on a subsequent page, and give an
account of the methods that have been proposed or employed for the
manufacture of condensed peat fuel.

2.--_Density of Peat._

The apparent[10] specific gravity of peat in the air-dry state, ranges
from 0.11 to 1.03. In other words, a full cubic foot weighs from
one-tenth as much as, to slightly more than a cubic foot of water, =
62-1/3 lbs. Peat, which has a specific gravity of but 0.25, may be and
is employed as fuel. A full cubic foot of it will weigh about 16 lbs. In
Germany, the cubic foot of "good ordinary peat" in blocks,[11] ranges
from 15 to 25 lbs. in weight, and is employed for domestic purposes. The
heavier peat, weighing 30 or more lbs. per cubic foot in blocks, is used
for manufacturing and metallurgical purposes, and for firing
locomotives.

Karmarsch has carefully investigated more than 100 peats belonging to
the kingdom of Hanover, with reference to their heating effect. He
classifies them as follows:--

A. _Turfy peat_, (_Rasentorf_,) consisting of slightly decomposed mosses
and other peat-producing plants, having a yellow or yellowish-brown
color, very soft, spongy and elastic, sp. gr. 0.11 to 0.26, the full
English cubic foot weighing from 7 to 16 lbs.

B. _Fibrous peat_, unripe peat, which is brown or black in color, less
elastic than turfy peat, the fibres either of moss, grass, roots,
leaves, or wood, distinguishable by the eye, but brittle, and easily
broken; sp. gr. 0.24 to 0.67, the weight of a full cubic foot being from
15 to 42 lbs.

C. _Earthy peat._--Nearly or altogether destitute of fibrous structure,
drying to earth-like masses which break with more or less difficulty,