432 Sequel of Mr Naismith’s Inquiry

5s a fufficient mixture of compadt lying earth, lime will have a hap-py effedt.

Query yth. Can the Upper (Irata of peat-mofs be advantage-oufly removed by the agency of fire ?

Answer. Highly combuftible as pure mofs is, it ftrongly refillscombuflion, in its native ftate, and that which lies near the furfacethe mod. It is not eafily dried on the damp furface, and will nottake fire unlefs it be pretty dry. Even when it is dry, the combuf.tible fibres are fo (lightly connected with one another, that it burnsfeebly, and* the fire is apt to go out, unlefs pains be taken to keepthe different pieces in contact with one another, fo as to retain theheat. Any confiderable quantity of furface mofs could not, there-fore, be removed by fire, except at enormous expenfe. But, afterthe original conformation i6 broken, and the fubftance confolidatedby a mixture of earth among its interlaces, it becomes a very differ-ent fubjedt. It fometimes takes fire, without being turned up to thedrought, The mixture of earth connedts the combuftible matter;when heated, it retains and conducts the heat ; and the burning(lowly and gradually extends, often without-being extinguilhed by aconfiderable (bower. About the edges of modes, where there is fre-quently a confiderable accumulation of this mixed matter, the burninghas been known to reduce the whole to cinder and afhes, eating down-ward till it was (lopped by the clay at the bottom. But where on-ly the furface of a mofs has-been altered, by culture and a mixtureof earth, the burning adts on the altered part, and (tops as foon asit comes to that which has undergone no change. As it is doubt-ful if mofs can be kept, by any means, in permanent grafs of anykind to advantage, except where it can be at intervals overflowedwith land water, any mofs which had been cultivated by the appli-cation of earth, when grafs failed, might be turned over in thedrought of fummer, and, after drying a few days, fet on fire. Agreat part of the (tirred furface would be fcorched or reduced tocinder and allies, and be found a fit preparation for abundant cropsof the plants ufually cultivated. The adtion of fire reduces theearth in the mixture to the ftate of brick-dust, which is known to bea powerful decompofer of peat-mofs; and a great part of the mofs tocinder, which is foluble in water, and yields plentiful nourilhmentto growing vegetables, as will appear in the anfwer to the followingquery ; and that which it completely incinerates, iticreafes the pro-portion of earth. This is not ideal. Frequent experience has e-vitlced, that, wherever mofs, in the state defcribed, has been burnt,the most luxuriant crops have been produced. If the culture ofmofs were move general, by repeating the operation of burning,plentiful crops from time to time might be obtained at a very fmailexpenfe. Thus, by confuming part of the mofs at intervals, itsbulk would be gradually diminiflied, and the falubrity of the airproportionally improved ; and barren modes made to produce addi-tional quantities ef provifious, nouriihed from their own bowels, and