Liming peat bogs

1310. Lime is well known to act chemically on peat bogs, and to produce astonishing benefits. True and genuine peat bogs contain a considerable quantity of an acid which has some affinity to gallic acid. It appears to be this acid which confers on peat earth its highly antiseptic qualities, and prevents the complete decay of woody fibre in such situations. When lime, marl, or shell sand is laid as a manure in such soils, the acid is neutralised, and a salt of lime is formed.