d by an endless band of hair cloth, stretched over
and kept in place by rollers. The rolls are operated by a steam engine
of 12 horse power. The fresh peat is thrown into a hopper, and passing
between the rolls, loses a considerable share of its water, issuing as a
broad continuous sheet, which is divided into blocks by an arrangement
presently to be described. The cloth, covering the rolls, must have
great strength, sufficient porosity to allow water to pass it freely,
and such closeness of texture as to retain the fine particles of peat.
Many trials have led to the use of a fabric, specially made for the
purpose, of goat's hair. The cloth for each pair of rolls, costs $160.

The peat at Schleissheim is about 5 feet in depth, and consists of a
dark-brown mud or paste, free from stones and sticks, and penetrated
only by fine fibers. The peat is thrown up on the edge of a ditch, and
after draining, is moved on a tram-way to the machine. It is there
thrown upon a chain of buckets, which deliver it at the hopper above the
rolls. The rolls revolve once in 7-1/3 minutes and at each revolution
turn out a sheet of peat, which cuts into 528 blocks. Each block has,
when moist, a length of about 12 inches, by 5 inches of width and 1-1/4
inches of thickness, and weighs on the average 1-1/2 lbs. The water that
is pressed out of the peat, falls within the rolls and is conducted
away; it is but slightly turbid from suspended particles. The band of
pressed peat is divided in one direction as it is formed, by narrow
slats which are secured horizontally to the press-cloth, at about 5
inches distance from each other. The further division of the peat is
accomplished by a series of six circular saws, under which the peat is
carried as it is released from the rolls, by a system of endless cords
strung over rollers. These cords run parallel until the peat passes the
saws; thenceforth they radiate, so that the peat-blocks are separated
somewhat from each other. They are carried on until they reach a roll,
over which they are delivered upon drying lattices. The latter move
regularly under the roll; the peats arrange themselves upon them
edgewise, one leaning against the other, so as to admit of free
circulation of air. The lattices are loaded upon cars, and moved on a
tram-way to the drying ground, where they are set up in frames.

The peat-cake separates well from the press-cloths; but the pores of the
latter become somewhat choked by fine pa