million tons of peat for fuel, which, on the presumption that peat possesses
half the heating power of coal, is equivalent to 4 thousand million tons of
coal, or enough fuel to last for centuries. With the exception of Russia,
there is no country in Europe having such a plentiful supply of peat as
Sweden, and scarcely any country has peat of such good quality.
Although peat can be used successfully as fuel for domestic purposes, various
industries such as ironworks, cellulose factories, glass and tile works, etc., its
use is very insignificant as compared with that of coal and wood, and is not
at all proportionate to the natural resources. This is owing to the fact that
the preparation of peat depends upon the weather and also to the fact that it
has not yet been possible to arrange for the production of peat fuel on a large
scale, and therefore there is a state of uncertainty regarding the quantity and
quality of the peat and also as to the cost of manufacture. The continuous rise
in wages enhances the cost of manufacture, so that, for example, the cost -of
manufactured peat in the last 12 years has risen from 5— 6 to 8-—9 kr. per
ton, at the same time as the price of coal in port has meanwhile increased from
14 to 20 kr. and upwards per ton; all of which circumstances have caused a
state of uncertainty in the peat industry, which can only be removed by an
invention by which peat can be manufactured on a large scale, irrespective of
weather and seasons. There are, however, good prospects for such an invention
(the wet carbonizing process).
Every form of fuel is judged according to its calorific power, which is discovered
by experimental burning or by calorimetric analysis. Such methods has
been employed by professor P. Klason and others, with the result that 1 ton of
ordinary coal is found to be equivalent to l'S tons of average machine peat,
2 tons of cut peat or 2 ■> tons of wood. The cost of freight is, naturally, a
matter of greater importance when the fuel is of low value than when it is of
high value, this being another disadvantage for peat.
Many attempts have been made to refine peat to a more valuable fuel in the
form of peat-coal, powdered peat, and peat briquettes. Peat-coal, which seemed
at first to promise well, has not become an article of great production, principally
owing to the meagre production of the raw material for its manufacture.
Powdered peat has attracted a little attention but has not as yet been
produced on a large scale. Endeavours have been made to manufacture such
powder, by air-drying the raw peat, taken out by hand or by excavator, till it
contains about 50 % of water, after which the product is dried artificially, until
the water is reduced to about 15 %, and can then be either ground to a fine
powder which can be used directly as fuel or burnt in a so-called powder-burning
apparatus, or it can be compressed, at a temperature of 90°—100° C. under a
pressure of as much as 2 000 atmospheres, into peat briquettes in the same
manner as in the manufacture of lignite. But up to the present time these
attempts have failed through want of raw material in sufficient quantities and
low enough in price. Thus the peat problem has not yet been solved. It has
been suggested that power stations should be located on the bogs, by which
means the quality of the peat would not be of such great consideration, and this
proposal has been adopted on a small scale, but the state of uncertainty in the
preparation of the peat has made itself felt even here.
In addition to peat fuel there is an enormous supply in Sweden of white
moss, from which moss Utter is prepared, both for home consumption and
export; during the last few years this material has become of increasing economic
importance in farming as a manure absorbant and also as an addition to
the manure. The enormous sums which have been lost in ammonia from dungyards
by its evaporation into the air can now be saved; and the employment
of moss litter increases yearly. It is also useful as a preserving element in
fruit packing etc., as packing for double floorings, and for other purposes, among
others for town cleaning purposes, as a disinfectant for closets, etc.
In 1912, Sweden possessed 32 peat manufactories, apart from those which
manufacture for domestic use; these latter do not make statistical returns, although
they actually produce greater quantities than the regular manufactories.
The 32 above-mentioned manufactories employed 892 hands and produced 41 924
tons of peat, with a value of 407 400 kronor. In the same year there were
125 moss litter manufactories, employing 1 972 hands and producing 192 790
tons, with a value of 2 767 000 kronor. The export of moss litter in the same
year was 7 276 tons, and in 1913, including 3 100 tons of powdered peat, the
export was 7 135 .tons.
In 1902 the Riksdag made a grant of 1 ‘5 million kronor as a so-called peat
loan fund, which was gradually increased to 3‘6 million kronor owing to the
many applications for grants. Advances are made out of this fund to approved
factories up to */s of the value of the manufactory against good security,
which must be approved by the Exchequer. The interest is 4 / , and the
amortization of the loan, , at the rate of 10 % of the total sum, need not
begin until the fourth year after the making of the grant. The State also affords
financial assistance in other ways for the solving of the peat problem. In order
to assist the peat industry with scientific aid the State has appointed two peat
engineers with three assistants. In Emmaljunga in Skane, there is a peat school,
maintained by the State, in which instruction is given in the preparation of
peat for such -as wish to fit themselves for the positions of managers or fore
men of peat manufactories.
Charcoal.
The Swedish statistics of industry include in the group now under consideration
also the manufacture of charcoal; in 1912 there was no less than 23 009 569
hectoliters produced, valued at 12 762 000 kronor. The total number of factories
producing it was stated to be 407, employing 6 639 hands. The greatest
output was in Kopparberg Lan, its value being 2'6 million kronor; then came
the Lans of Gavleborg, Örebro and Vasternorrland, each with an output valued
resp. at 2’s, 2 -o and 1 ’7 million kronor. - • The production of charcoal in the
whole kingdom is greater than what is represented by the above figures, owing
to the requirements of the ironworks being supplied from sources from which
no returns are obtainable. Thus during 1912 the ironworks alone consumed
the following:
Charcoal from Charcoal from
forest wood saw-mill laths
Stack (Heap) charred hi 30 456 684 9 458 828
Kiln charred > 2 914 311 389 753
T a ln e .............................................................- Kr. 22 156 390 6 296 232
The ironworks thus consumed 43 219 576 hi valued at 28 452 622 kr., about-
double the quantity stated above. The average price for charcoal for the iron
industry was 66 ore per hi against the above stated 55 ore per hi.
Even the last-mentioned figures are too low, since charcoal is used in other
industries to no inconsiderable extent.
In the year 1913, there were imported 1 198 824 hi and exported 64 815 hi
of charcoal.