(p. 240) An investigation of typical peats taken at successive depths showed increasing percentage of carbon, and inversely a decreasing yield of furfural. The numbers may be compared with those for Sphagnum cuspidatum—with C = 49.80 p.ct., and furfural 7.99 p.ct., calculated to dry, ash-free substance:
| Depth at which taken | C p.ct. | Furfural p.ct. | |
| I. | 20-100 cm. | 51.08 | 6.93 |
| 100-200 " | 53.52 | 5.30 | |
| 200-300 " | 58.66 | 3.19 | |
| II. | Surface-20 " | 55.47 | 3.40 |
| 20-60 " | 55.06 | 3.48 | |
| 60-100 " | 58.25 | 1.45 | |
| 100-120 " | 58.23 | 1.19 | |
| 180-200 " | 57.57 | 1.80 | |
Cellulose was estimated by the Lange method. The yield from Sphagnum was 21.1 p.ct.
| From specimen I. at | { 20-100 cm. | 15.20 |
| {100-200 " | 6.87 |
From the peat of lower depths no cellulose could be obtained.
Hydrolysis (acid).—On heating with 1 p.ct. H2SO4 at 130-135°, soluble carbohydrates were obtained, amongst which mannose was identified, and galactose shown to be present in some quantity. After fermenting away the hexoses, the residue was treated with phenylhydrazine and an osazone separated. It contained 17.3 p.ct. N, but melted at 130°. The substance could not be identified as an osazone of any of the yet known pentoses.