eciable
quantity in several others that I have examined. Besides green-vitriol,
it is possible that certain organic salts of iron, may be deleterious.

The poisonous properties of vitriol-peats may be effectually corrected
by composting with lime, or wood-ashes. By the action of these
substances, sulphate of lime, (plaster of Paris) is formed, while the
iron separates as peroxide, which, being insoluble, is without
deleterious effect on vegetation. Where only soluble organic salts of
iron (crenate of iron) are present, simple exposure to the air suffices
to render them innocuous.

b. _The acidity of Peats._--Many writers have asserted that peat and
muck possess a hurtful "acidity" which must be corrected before they can
be usefully employed. It is indeed a fact, that peat consists largely of
acids, but, except perhaps in the vitriol-peats, (those containing
copperas,) they are so insoluble, or if soluble, are so quickly modified
by the absorption of oxygen, that they do not exhibit any "acidity" that
can be deleterious to vegetation. It is advised to neutralize this
supposed acidity by lime or an alkali before using peat as a fertilizer
or amendment, and there is great use in such mixtures of peat with
alkaline matters, as we shall presently notice under the head of
composts.

By the word acidity is conveyed the idea of something hurtful to plants.
This something is, doubtless, in many cases, the salts of iron we have
just noticed. In others, it is simply the inertness, "coldness" of the
peat, which is not positively injurious, but is, for a time at least, of
no benefit to the soil.

c. _Resinous matters_ are mentioned by various writers as injurious
ingredients of peat, but I find no evidence that this notion is
well-founded. The peat or muck formed from the decay of resinous wood
and leaves does not appear to be injurious, and the amount of resin in
peat is exceedingly small.

3.--_The Preparation of Peat for Agricultural use._

a. _Excavation._--As to the time and manner of getting out peat, the
circumstances of each case must determine. I only venture here to offer
a few hints on this subject, which belongs so exclusively to the farm.
The month of August is generally the appropriate time for throwing up
peat, as then the swamps are usually most free from water, and most
accessible to men and teams; but peat is often dug to best advantage in
the winter, not only on account of the cheapness of labor, and from