66 
The drying of peat is an operation requiring a careful 
study of local conditions, such as climate, and the cost of fuel 
and labour. 
The first part of the drying is usually done by exposing the 
peat to the action of the sun and wind and is known as air 
drying. The percentage of water is lowered to about 40 or 50. 
This is followed by drying by means of heated mechanical 
driers, or the process of air-drying may be allowed to continue 
until the peat is dried to the desired degree. 
The drying of peat for fuel is usually done by air-drying alone. 
There are a number of reports on peat, published by the 
Mines Branch, which contain much information on the prep 
aration of peat, as well as reports on the available deposits 
of the country. Articles dealing with the use of peat for fer 
tilizer purposes have appeared in the Journal of the American 
Peat Society. 1 
Amount of peat used in the manufacturing industries, 
as reported by the consumers:— 
Location 
No. of firms 
reporting 
consumption 
Domestic 
Imported 
Tons 
Tons 
Maritime Provinces 
Quebec 
1 
— 
1000 
Ontario 
— 
— 
— 
Prairie Provinces 
— 
— 
— 
British Columbia 
— 
— 
— 
Canada (Total) 
1 
—• 
1000 
1 President’s address, Boston meeting, Vol. II, No. 4. Peat as a Fertilizer and some 
Methods of Drying and Preparing it, page 173, Vol. Ill, Nos. 3 and 4.