is covered with sole tile or drain tile, and the entire inside of this
tank is also ribbed with these tile; the ends of these pipes of tile
being left open, so that the water which percolates through the pores of
the tile, by the pressure of the column of peat, will pass out at the
bottom, through the false floor of the tank into the drain, and the
solid peat is retained in the tank. A worm is fixed in the bottom of
this tank, which is driven by machinery, which forces out the peat in
the form of brick, which are cut to any length, and stacked up in sheds,
for fuel, after it is fully dried by the air.

[Illustration: Fig. 20.--VERSMANN'S PEAT PULVERIZER.]

_Versmann's Machine_[28]--This machine, see Fig. 20, was invented by a
German engineer, in London, and was patented there in Sept., 1861. It
consists of a funnel or hollow cone _b_, of boiler-plate, from one to
two feet in diameter at top, and perforated with 200 to 300 small holes
per square foot of surface, within which rapidly revolves an iron cone
_a_, carrying on its circumference two spiral knives. The peat thrown in
at the top of the funnel is carried down by the knives, and at once cut
or broken and forced in a state of fine division through the holes of
the funnel, as through a colander. The fine peat collects on the
inclined bottom of the chamber _d_, whence it is carried by means of
Archimedean screws to a moulding machine. The coarse stuff that escapes
pulverization falls through _e_ into the cavity _c_. It may be employed
as fuel for the engine, or again put through the machine.

This machine effects a more perfect pulverization of the peat, than any
other hitherto described. This extreme division is, however, unnecessary
to the perfection of the product, and is secured at great expense of
power. Through the opening at the bottom of the funnel, much
unpulverized peat finds its way, which must be continually returned to
the machine. Again, stones, entering the funnel, are likely to break or
damage the spiral knives, which bear close to the walls of the funnel.

The pulverized peat must be moulded by hand, or by a separate
instrument.

_Buckland's Machine_[29] is identical in principle with Versmann's, and
in construction differs simply in the fact of the interior cone having
spiral grooves instead of spiral knives. This gives greater simplicity
and durability to the machine. It appears, however, to require too much
power to work it, and can hardly equ