Southampton, Aug. 26, 1818.
Art. VII. On the Peat of Dutchess County.
Art. VII. On the Peat of Dutchess County—read before the Lyceum of Natural History, in New-York, by the Rev. F. C. Schaeffer, of New-York, and by him communicated to the Editor.
In May, 1817, I brought specimens of marl and peat from Dutchess county, which were taken from a fen or bog occupying an area of some acres. These fens occur frequently in the towns of Rhinebeck, Northeast, Clinton, &c. in Dutchess county. During a part of the year they are covered with water.
A pit was dug in the bog from which I procured the specimens. The order and depth of the well-defined strata which were exhibited by this excavation, I noted in my memorandum book, from which I extract the following:
After clearing away the fresh sod and recent vegetable mould, there appeared,
1. A stratum or bed of peat commonly called turf, varying in depth from three to four feet.
2. A stratum of peat and marl commingled; depth two feet.