TABLE II.—COMPOSITION OF CONNECTICUT PEATS AND MUCKS.

Calculated in the dry state: the percentage of nitrogen calculated also on organic matters.

KEY
A - In this table the matters soluble in water and the nitrogen are calculated to two places of decimals; the other ingredients are expressed in round numbers.
B - Soluble in water.
C - Insol. in water, but soluble in carbonate of soda.
D - Insol. in water and carbonate of soda.
E - Total.
F - Total matters soluble in water.
G - Nitrogen.
H - Nitrogen in per cent. of the organic matter.
ORGANIC MATTER.INORGANIC MATTER.
ABCDEBCDEFGH
1. Lewis M. Norton204060 40 1.751.462.25
Goshen, Conn.
2. Lewis M. Norton751590 10 2.322.58
Goshen, Conn.
3. Lewis M. Norton603595 5 2.952.232.36
Goshen, Conn.
4. Messrs. Pond & Miles811596 4 2.031.491.55
Milford, Conn.
5. Messrs. Pond & Miles791998 2 3.971.091.12
Milford, Conn.
6. Samuel Camp531164181836 3.082.584.03
Plainville, Conn.
7. Russell U. Peck463783 17 3.271.962.34
Berlin, Conn.
8. Rev. B. F. Northrop481159 41 1.881.502.49
Griswold, Conn.
9. J. H. Stanwood751186 14 2.771.992.15
Colebrook, Conn.
10. N. Hart, Jr.691382 18 7.752.613.21
West Cornwall, Conn.
11. A. L. Loveland43 447 53 .851.132.43
North Granby, Conn.
12. Daniel Buck, Jr.336093 7 3.582.923.15
Poquonock, Conn.
13. Daniel Buck, Jr.414990 10 2.162.892.23
Poquonock, Conn.
14. Philip Scarborough613091 9 1.701.421.57
Brooklyn, Conn.
15. Adams White632790 10 6.783.333.72
Brooklyn, Conn.
16. Paris Dyer21 526 74 2.851.124.31
Brooklyn, Conn.
17. Perrin Scarborough62 870 3017.591.001.43
Brooklyn, Conn.
18. Geo. K. Virgin2.4823 9350.35115465 2.830.722.06
Collinsville, Conn.
19. Geo K. Virgin1.7214 823 .43 27577 2.150.512.20
Collinsville, Conn.
20. Geo. K. Virgin1.6722 832 .58 26668 2.250.652.04
Collinsville, Conn.
21. Solomon Mead3.7048 9602.92112740 6.621.702.90
New Haven, Conn.
22. Edwin Hoyt3.0514 8262.92215074 6.070.481.88
New Canaan, Conn.
23. Edwin Hoyt2.4714 8251.63136075 4.100.953.76
New Canaan, Conn.
24. Edwin Hoyt1.2318 9281.79155572 3.021.083.82
New Canaan, Conn.
25. A. M. Haling4.90751292 .50 7 8 5.402.322.52
Rockville, Conn.
26. A. M. Haling4.50831097 .27 2 3 4.771.531.57
Rockville, Conn.
27. A. M. Haling6.2471 784 .82 7 816 7.063.043.64
Rockville, Conn.
28. Albert Day4.01761090 .52 1 810 4.531.361.52
Brooklyn, Conn.
29. C. Goodyear2.11541268 .40 92232 2.511.982.91
New Haven, Conn.
30. Rev. Wm. Clift4.567113883.86 812 8.421.291.46
Stonington, Conn.
31. Henry Keeler2.66561573 .97 52127 3.631.982.64
South Salem, N. Y.
32. John Adams2.375915761.40 22024 3.772.443.18
Salisbury, Conn.
33. Rev. Wm. Clift5.9318 8328.13 7536814.061.444.49
Stonington, Conn.

TABLE III.—DESCRIPTION, ETC., OF PEATS AND MUCKS.

No.Color.Condition at Time of Analysis, Reputed Value, etc.
1. Lewis M. Nortonchocolate-brown,air-dry, tough, compact, heavy; from bottom; 3 to 4 feet deep; very good in compost.
2. Lewis M. Nortonchocolate-brown,air-dry, tough, compact, heavier than 1, from near surface; very good in compost.
3. Lewis M. Nortonlight-brown,air-dry, coherent but light, from between 1 and 2, very good in compost.
4. Messrs. Pond & Mileschocolate-brown,air-dry, coherent but light, surface peat, considered better than No. 5; good in compost.
5. Messrs. Pond & Milesbrownish-red,air-dry, very light and loose in texture, from depth of 3 feet, good in compost.
6. Samuel Campblack,air-dry, hard lumps, half as good as yard manure, in compost equal to yard manure.
7. Russell U. Peckchocolate-brown,air-dry, is good fresh, long exposed, half as good as barn-yard\ manure.
8. Rev. B. F. Northropgrayish-brown,air-dry, light, easily crushed masses containing sand, has not been used alone, good in compost.
9. J. H. Stanwoodchocolate-brown,moist, hard lumps, used fresh good after first year; excellent in compost.
10. N. Hart, Jr.brownish-black,air-dry, hard lumps, excellent in compost.
11. A. L. Lovelandblack,air-dry, hard lumps, contains grains of coarse sand.
12. Daniel Buck, Jr.chocolate-brown,air-dry, coherent cakes, good as top dressing on grass when fresh; excellent in compost.
13. Daniel Buck, Jr.chocolate-brown,air-dry, light surface layers of No. 12.
14. Philip Scarborough air-dry, after exposure over winter, has one-third value of yard-manure.
15. Adams Whitechocolate-brown,air-dry, hard lumps, good in compost, causes great growth of straw.
16. Paris Dyergrayish-black,air-dry, easily crushed lumps, largely admixed with soil.
17. Perrin Scarboroughchocolate-brown,air-dry,well-characterized "vitriol peat;" in compost, after 1 year's exposure, gives indifferent results.
18. Geo. K. Virginlight brownish-grayair-dry light, coherent, surface peat; sample long exposed; astonishing results on sandy soil.
19. Geo. K. Virginchocolate-brown,moist, crumbly, contains much sand, four feet from surface.
20. Geo. K. Virginblack,wet.
21. Solomon Meadgrayish-brown,air-dry, light, porous, coherent from grass roots; long weathered, good; fresh, better in compost.
22. Edwin Hoytbrownish-gray,air-dry, loose, light, much mixed with soil, good in compost.
23. Edwin Hoytbrownish-gray,air-dry, No. 22 saturated with horse urine, darker than No. 22.
24. Edwin Hoytbrownish-gray,air-dry, No. 22 composted with white fish, darker than No. 23; fish-bones evident.
25. A. M. Halingchocolate-brown,moist, fresh dug.
26. A. M. Halingchocolate-brown,air-dry, No. 25 after two year's weathering.
27. A. M. Halingchocolate-brown,moist, fresh dug, good substitute for yard manure as top-dressing on grass.
28. Albert Daydark-brown,moist, coherent and hard; fresh dug, but from surface where weathered; injurious to crops; vitriol peat. (?)
29. C. Goodyearblack,air-dry, very hard tough cakes; when fresh dug, "as good as cow dung."
30. Rev. Wm. Cliftchocolate-brown,moist, from an originally fresh water bog, broken into 100 years ago by tide, now salt marsh; good after weathering.
31. Henry Keelerlight-brown,air-dry, leaf-muck, friable; when fresh, appears equal to good yard manure.
32. John Adamslight-brown,moist, overlies shell marl, fresh or weathered does not compare with ordinary manure.
33. Rev. Wm. Cliftdark ash-gray,air-dry, from bottom of salt ditch, where tide flows daily; contains sulphate of iron.

FOOTNOTES:

[2] The oxygen thus absorbed by water, serves for the respiration of fish and aquatic animals.

[3] This sample contained also fish-bones, hence the larger content of nitrogen was not entirely due to absorbed ammonia.