When saturated with salt water, peat is generally unfit for heating purposes. The fine, clay-like powder found underlying peat-beds, of a yellowish white color, is composed of shields of infusorial animalculae, and forms a superior powder for polishing metals. In working a bed of peat, the first step will be to ascertain if drainage is necessary; and, secondly, how it can be effected and at the least cost. If the bed can not be economically drained, resort must be had to mechanical excavation. It is best not to drain a bed below the level to which you can effectually work out in a season, unless you can close the outlet drain to allow it to fill again with water for the winter, for the reason that drained peat that has been frozen is apt to disintegrate after thawing, and become impoverished for a solid homogeneous fuel. Peat that has been well manipulated and dried for fuel rarely holds more than 10 per cent of moisture, and it will not afterwards become saturated with water, even by immersion for an entire winter. A cubic yard of closely-packed peat fuel will weigh from 1620 to 2180 lbs., and the heating value of 1 lb. of such peat is equal to even 1-1/2 lbs. wood; one cord of good wood will weigh almost 4200 lbs., and 1 cord of peat fuel will weigh about 3750 lbs., showing a gain in space as well as in greater heating power.