PRELIMINARY REPORT ON PEAT.

ASSOCIATED PRODUCTS.
Most peat deposits contain other things besides peat, which deserve to be considered in estimating the probable profits to be derived from any contemplated peat utilization project.
A peat deposit which has been worked for its diatoms ("infusorial earth") alone has been described on page 29o.. This material is used as a non-conducting covering for steam-pipes, as a polishing powder, and as an ingredient of dynamite. Deposits containing diatoms in such abundance must be rather rare. According to Parsons (see bibliography) there are two such deposits in the state of New York.
The numerous shells in the peat around Lake Panasoffkee (see page 280) might be of some importance if this peat was used in the manufacture of fertilizer filler.
Marl of a composition well suited to the manufacture of Portland cement has been found associated with peat bogs in Michigan and a few other states in the glaciated region,* and bog iron ore was formerly the basis of an important industry in the coastal plain of New Jersey. No special search has been made for these materials in Florida, but it is quite likely that they could be found; especially the former, on account of the abundance of limestone in this state.
The sphagnum (peat moss) which is so abundant in many northern and European peat bogs is used in some places for stable litter and bedding, very extensively for packing cuttings and nursery stock to protect them from cold and dryness, and for several other purposes. Sphagnum is not very abundant in Florida, but there may be a few places in the state, such as some of our bays, slashpine bogs, and non-alluvial swamps, where it could be collected profitably.
A kind of coarse hay, more suitable for bedding than for fodder, is cut from many northern salt marshes.
Most of the trees which characterize many of our peat deposits are of some value for their wood or sundry other prodticts. Below is a list, with common names and economic properties (if known) of the kinds of trees which I have seen growilLig on peat in Florida. Their distribution within and without the state is given in the catalogue of peat-forming plants a little farther on.
It is interesting to note that the plants which form, the best peat furnish neither food nor medicine for man or beast, with very few exceptions.*See Eckel, U. S. Geol. Surv. Bull. 243: 34-36, i04-1'42, I94-I97, 252-253, 1905 ]'According to Dr. Hilgard (Soils, pp. 495, 512) bog plants are commonly characterized by having small seeds.

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