OF SCOTLAND.

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ty of working, as one man has been known to cast seven tonsa-day, nor the prime-cost of the article, (which in most casesis to be had for the working), but the difficulty in winning,and in some instances of carrying it borne, that makes peatso expensive an article of fuel. In those places where the peatearth is of so soft and friable a texture, that it will not standto be formed into peats, it is carted to some dry spot, whereit is completely wrought into a paste, when it is formed intolumps like loaves, with the hands, and being allowed to dry,becomes hard and very durable as fuel; but as the expenceis very great, nothing but necessity can sanction such a prac-tice *.

The injudicious and irregular mode of cutting peats, whichalmost universally obtains, is in many respects a serious evil;and although this is uniformly acknowledged, yet scarcelyan individual ever thinks of adopting any fixed rule of work-ing the mosses, so as to obviate the evil complained of. Itperhaps might be of advantage, “ were all tenants boundto cut their mosses regularly, and at the same depth, sothat in no place is the water allowed to stagnate. Theyshould be made to level the bottom of every piece as soon ascut, and to cover it regularly with the parings taken off thesurface. They should begin at the bottom, and proceed up-wards, and open a drain if necessary to carry off superfluouswater. If the ground, after being cut, is intended for pastureor cultivation, the peat may be cut to the clay, if the fall ofthe ground will admit of it. But when moss is scarce, it willbe proper to leave a foot, or more, so that it may grow again.When it appears to need more moisture than it has, theoutlet from it may be occasionally stopped ; though in ge-neral there is more danger of its having too much than toolittle.”

* Presses for squeezing the moss have been suggested, and sheds for dryingit. Statistical Account, vol. vi, p. 8, Note.