Note 11 — ON PEAT AS FUEL.

The "full" cubic foot implies a cubic foot having no cavities or waste space, such as exist in a pile, made up of numerous blocks. If a number of peat blocks be put into a box and shaken together, the empty space between the more or less irregular blocks, may amount to 46 per cent. of the whole; and when closely packed, the cavities amount to 30 per cent., according to the observations of Wasserzieher. (Dingler's Journal, Oct., 1864, p. 118.) Some confusion exists in the statements of writers in regard to this matter, and want of attention to it, has led to grave errors in estimating the weight of fuel.