Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1846-05-28
The E!Uisislf Gnsss.

Those mUisibie spirits which may be al
most sad 10 preside over all that /, 10 b,
learned Of Agricultural Chcmlsiry-we we al
ludc To the gases oxygen, hydrogen, nitro
gen and cafbonlc ucId-have all The ms
fortune of being ,mperceprbe 10 the eve.
Whether dame Nalure. IN making them so
had not some InlIe Joke in hand, for The pur
pose ~ -iu'lfying The wisdom ui hose o! her
children who refuse to adm, an evidence bot
that "f their bodily eyes, She does not tell us
IN words but she seems To- point rather $40
nlicau'ly To some such Conclusion. IN hay
ing based all the processes revealed IN AMI
NAL and vegetable physiology upon the &C
lion oi 'nriStJk agents animals and vroc.
tables grow aud derive ther increase out OF
matter WHICH, IN Its original form, j. per
coplb'e 10 the mind, but mol 10 the eye. and
whIch, on th.Ir death ana decomposition.
VIII return 10 The same invisible stale
What fund ui reflection does thls simpe
fact offer To the agrlcullurlsi, who is willing
10 believe that mau was intended 10 cult
vn'c NE earth uh his mint as well as his
body. Imagine hin t,klug d walk over his
turn, ~ July, lInm"diatey after smart.
thunder storm n delIcIous and peculiar fra
grnncc rises up from 'hc ground to his nos
IrllS; stripping sch0oboy at his side looks
y"nkn"w whrr" that sweet scent comes from:'
TO be sure, chIid-.tjom he groond.' Yes.
but what makcs II come from the ground?'-
why, lie rain But what makes The rain
b'lng II from the grouud?' Papa, looks fool. |
ish aud cnutnurdcd-w wList the innIor boy
N the junior class of agricultural chemistry.
come out strong with his first lesson - II \
comes from ammonia jyougM down IN he I
'ain mare roPidiy than ht earth can absoyb il. I
and which, bang highiy roi1iiie gas, is yis-
Wg again into Me air. Nonsense! child. Il
'Bul. HS so. papa: Professor l.lcblp and |.
DR. PInyfalr, and ell The great chemists say \
that II Is So But hoic can tiny prore IL. bow !.
why IN thus way: they say that although II
the carbonate OF ammouir, which smells now \
so delIclously, Is a rofatiie gas, the Sulphaie
of ammonia Is a fixed and risiJie body and
II yon spread hnely powdered gypsum over
grass held, y"u may walk over 1t after IA ihnn.
der shower without percrlvlug this scout: for
the gypsum (which Is Suphnie of Hulej laws
hnld of me ammouli, and Obllgcs II 10 make Il
very CURIOUS lnt rchanGc-- q sort OF cross /. h
marriage ior the suphdtC leaves the lime ,
ana unlt"s with The ammonia, and brcomrs /
snlphaie "f ammonln, and The Carbonate
bahdoned hy the ammonia, CONSOLES the de.
serted llmo, and becomes carbonate of limo I
commonly called chak. And thus pyp.um.
though not manure ~ lts,l', becomes the
'ass OF Two manurcs --SUl phato Of ammonia
md carbonate OF limr. And The teacher :
ays that It powdered gypsum be spread &C
'asIonally over the stables and the BARNARD
VIII catch all the ammonia that now pocs Il
II in smell, aud, by the process before men n
Ioned. increase the qnautity aud value of the r
nnuurc.' u
Query which is the better uprlcul,uti.t T.
hat boy or his father The one Is. ex.
'crienced, practical farmer the other =.
'onngSicr, just dipped IN The first rudimcnt>
f Theory. !
Hhat is Theory? The condensed result
! The whole history Of past practice, arrang 3,
d and classified, enlightened and explained
Y reference to The eternal and immutabe
rnciples ol scientific truth. lie who com ",
'cncrs prachce with the knowledge of theo. g.
! Commences business with mind liz IN :;
y III" recorded experiences OF those VIII, W
rnl before hIm.
Never, surely can farmer deserve the y
nne OF master oi his business, until he un
'rs'ands thr na'ur" md high importance Of r.,
'osn Wrisi6'e dgeris hlch the science Of -,
opens To ~. The wooden walls Of -,
~ naval nrmnmcnls have derived their bulk, -
Instance from the elaboration in the leaves -.
ib" OAK, oi The Invisible carbonic acid gas o.
I" must nutritious part of n loaf of bread /.
rived rom The 'qnally invisible nitrogen
81 bound'ess ana Lihnmless waters of In,
can nre composed ~ two gases, each o.
rm srphrat'ly iu,I.lhle aud lastly, tho 4
nospher". ihnt supports life and respira
~. during every instant nf our existence. WV
seli invisible Surely, then. the existence
dmmonia. the llie aod soul Of agricultural
'tliy. should not be- neglected. aud prac ~
ally dIsb"li"vcd. merely because II is IN 4
'th & " H., ~ Lopd. .4g. Cos CI