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Many of YOU SUPPOSE, iayc seen the moass
called the Great Dismal in North Carolina aud
Virginia; and YOU have probably lao! an opporu-
nity as have, of crossing the northern extremity o
i, on railway supported hy piles, from Norfolk u
Weldon. This is no less than forty miles from
north to south, and twenty from east 10 west.
covered entirely with various orcs, trees, under
which is q great quantity of moss; the vegetation
is of every variety of size from common creeping
moss to tall expresses l30 fcct high The water
Surrounds the roots OF these trees for many months
in the year And this is most singular fact 70
one who has travelled only in Europe that. a l.
the case III the United States trees should grow IL
the water, or surrounded 10 certain hight by
water, and vet not be Killed. This G,eat Dismal
was explored some years since by MIR. EDMUND
RUrFlS, author OF a valuable Agricultural Journal.


He first calls attention The fact that II create.
portion OF the vast moraSs stands higher than the
ground that surrounds il; great Spongy mass
of peat standing some seven or eight feet ishe,
than its banks as ;iScertainSd bv careful ,nea-
surements when the railroad was Gu, through. Il,
consists of vegetable matter with a.slght ad,niN.
ture of earthly substance, Us IN coal. The source
of peat in Scotland is that one layer OF vegetation


is not decomposed before another forms So
is it in Chill, Patagonia and Terra del#tuese.
Thus also is 1t in different parts OF Europe III Tie
Falkland Islands. as DARWIN has shown iius,
TOO, is it in the Great Dismal, whcre the plants and
trees are different from those of the peat IL New
York 1t is found. cutting down the trees and
draining the swamp and letting in the sun, that tie
vegetation will not be supported US it was before
beneath the dark shade of the trees. In the mid
die is q fine lake, and the whole is inhabited by
wild animals and tits somewhat dangerous to dwcl!
near i. by Of the bad atmosphere it creates
1t is covered by most luNurian, vegetation. We
hnd in some places in England ,ha, thore is a
species Of walking moses, which are sometimes
seized with fancy to walk off from their places !;
the moss swells up bursts and rolls Off sometimes