Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1836-12-23

forms large proportion OF the whole
weight. Phosphate of lime is found in the
proportion of Il per cent. in the grain Of
wheat.
Water is not only one of the principal
component parts of all plants, but is also the
sole vehicle of thepr nutriment. At each
extremity of the small fbres into which
The roots of plants are divided, is an open.
ing through which that fluid enters: and il
appears that except in the case Of plant
having lost its vigUur by continued drought,
it is only through this channel that water
can enter. BY powerful action inherent
in living vegetables, water. which with all
the matters it is capable of holding in solu-
ton, becomes the sap, is raised to the
highest parts of the plants, and forced to
their most distant exlrenetes. 1t has
been acertained that plants do not possess
| the power of rejecting even those substan.
ces which are most noxious to them; it s
therefore probable that the character Of
| the fluid admitted is the same in all the
plants which grow upon the same soil.--
Whether it undergoes any change in the
root does not appear certain, but il has re-
Gently been maintained that every descrip.
ton of plant throws off by the surface it,
roots such matter as, if retained, would be
injurious; but this opinion does appear to
be well established.
The sap, when carried up to the leaves,
undergoes an important change principally
owing to the action Of solar light. When
exposed to light, the leaves of plants give
out oxygen in considerable quantities. -
This proceeds from decomposition of the
water and carbonic acid, the remaining ell
ements of which two substances and por.
ton Of their oxygen enter into new combi-
nations. These combinations have differ
ent characters in different vegetables, but
are most famiIiarly known in the shape Of
gum and rosin. These still contain the
earthly and saline matter carried up by the
sap, and after they are formed return down.
wards towards the roots. In their descent
they deposite the several parts which minis.
ter to the growth Of the plant-the leaves,
the bark and the woody fibre. They also
, appear to be forced with powerful energy
into the flower and the growing fruit. and
! in these still more importan: action ia
carried forward, by which the reproduction
of the species is insured.
The matters which the water that enters
, by the root may hold in solution, are elh-
er derived from the atmosphere or from the
soil. In its passage through The air il
will carry with it n considerable portion Of
carbonic acid. and all the sulphuretted by.
drogen it meets with. 1t will also take up
, a small quantity Of oxygen, and Of carbur
cited hydrogen, and still less quantity Of
nitrogen. From The soil it will take all the
more soluble salts, small quantities Of sui
plate Of lime. provided they be present, and
, silica. 81 also if the soil contains animal
matter, or vegetables of which nitrogen
forms a part, the ammonia generated by
9 their decomposition will likewise be dissol-
we'd by the water. In like manner the car
: bonlc acid, which has arisen from the de-
; composition of vegetable or animal matter
, and has not yet escaped and the soluble,
compounds of carbon, oxygen. and hydro-
gen, which are generated by the same pro-
cess. will have been taken up, and carried
by the water into the root of the plant. 1t
= will TINS appear that, contrary to the opin-
ion of Mr.. Puvis, the atmosphere furnishes
; but little of the fixed elements Of plants.
: with the exception ofsulphur and carbon;
and that even il The growth Of plants wero
to depend wholly upon the caI bon obtained
in the form of rbonlc acid from the ats
: mosphere, their growth must be slow and
feeble It will also appear. that if lime do
= uot exist in the soil but few plants can find
nourisbment; and that for the ripening Of
the seeds OF grain phosphorus must be fur
nished also. The latter substance may be
absorbed in small quantities from The phos>
phoretted hydrogen, which is occasionally
, present in the atmosphere; but a more Ger.
tain supply ought to be sought IN putrescent
manure, and particularly in that Of animal
origin.
The uses of lime in agriculture, as will
appear from the foregoing remarks and the
reasoning of the essay, are as follows:
|. When soil contains inert animal OF
vegetable matter, their decomposition may
be promoted, and it may be rendered fit for
5 the food of plants, by the addition of costic
lime.
: Q 1.-THE soil contain acid that may be
: neutrazed either by costlc or carbonatea,
lime, and besides, the organic, matter whose
decomposition may have been prevented BY
I the acid, vii! be permitted to purify.
Soils containing TOO much silica, or
in other words those which are sandy, are
made more retentive of moisture by the
addition OF lime or its carbonate.
H. Clays may be made less reentive Of
moisture and more iriable by the same
u means.
5. The gases which escape when vege.
table or anmal matter purify, are retained
= IN the soil by means Of lime or its carbon
a ate; and thus given quantity Of manure
g or the original vegetable matter of the soil,
d will retain lis efficacy no longer. BY q
a recent discovery 1t has also been ascertain
= ed that the decomposition of plants yields
:. a peculiar acid, called The hume, which
$ forms with lime salt sparingly soluble in
c water. The generation of this salt also
n serves to render the nutriment contained
e IN the soil more lasting.
d 6. Lime and It's compounds are absolute
:, y necessary, as constituent parts, TO the
b growth of many plants. The suphats is
essential to the growth of clover, and the