Peat is the mass of decayed vegetable matter formed in swamps or bogs. Conditions favorable to the formation of peat bogs include a moist climate, a depression with a bed that prevents water from draining, and still (but not stagnant) water. Peat is usually cut by hand into blocks, which are then spread out to dry. Drying may take as long as six weeks. Sometimes special machines are used to remove the raw peat from the bog and to stack it for air-drying. Vast peat bogs are found in Europe, North America, and northern Asia. Most are within regions that were once glaciated and frequently contain undrained depressions. The Dismal Swamp in Virginia and the Bog of Allen in Ireland are two large peat bogs.
