OF SCOTLAND.

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but peat, the loss would have amounted to a far larger sum,besides the wear and tear of spades and wheel-barrows. It islikewise proper to remark, that peats can only be manufac-tured in the fine months of May, June and July, when thetime of the farmer would be much better employed, in im-proving his land, repairing dikes, clearing ditches, &c. *.

It is utterly impossible to say what the average price ofpeat is, so much depends upon the state of the weather duringthe winning process. Indeed, it very rarely occurs that anyare prepared for sale ; but where that is the case, the pricevaries from 9 d. to I s. per cubic yard in favourable seasons.Proprietors, and others of superior rank, employ their ser-vants and labourers in procuring, through summer, the ne-cessary supply for the winter, while the poor people of bothsexes, and all descriptions, labour in the moss for their ownsupply f.

Besides the articles already mentioned, wherever there areany woods or plantations, the thinnings and decayed branchesare carefully gathered up lor fuel; and in some parts of thecentral Highlands, which were formerly covered with forestsof the Scotch pine, the inhabitants are very active in diggingup the roots, which make an excellent fire, but the smoke is

* Statistical Account of Scotland, vol. xxi, p. 349.f The following statement by Dr Young of Fawside, near Stonehaven, pointsout the superiority of coal over peat ’as a fuel. A poor woman was obliged topurchase peats during a scarcity of coals in winter: her daily consumption ofpeats cost her three halfpence : her annual quantity of coals was 2 bolls, eachboll 3G stone Amsterdam weight, or containing about 212 pints. Coals generallysell at Stonehaven for about 5 s. per boll: the highest they have been known atwas G s. 8 d. Her peat fire, (although at the common price of coals more thanfour times their value), was not near so serviceable. It is stated in the Dum-fries Report, p. 399, that 1 cart of coals is equal to 6 carts of peat. From 24to 30 cart-loads of peat is considered sufficient for a cottager’s family, having on-ly one constant fire. Where peats are used as fuel, it is a prudent precautionin a rainy climate, to have peats sufficient for the consumption of two years.Feats a year old are much freer, and the quality is in every other respect supe-rior. Inverness-shire Report, p. 297.