Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1849-01-24
The Atmosphere and Vegetation.

- -AVs A1N 1t1AS "
So
The atmosphere and Vegetation.
The atmosphere supplies the vegetable
creation with the principle part Of its food;
, plaAts extract inorganic substances from
the ground, which are indispensable to bring
them to maturity. The black and brown
, mould which is so abundant is the produce
! of decayed vegetables. When the autuu,
nal leaves-the spoil Of, the summer-fall
to the ground, and their vitality is gone.
they enter into combination with the oxy.
Igen of the atmosphere, and convert it into
an equal volume of carbonic acid gas,
which consequently exlsts a1nnddntfy- IN
every good soil, and is the most important
part ofthe food Of vegetables. This process
is slow, and stops as soon as the air in the
soil is exhausted; but the plough, by loos-
ening the earth, and permitting the atmos-
phere to enter more freely, and penetrate
deeper into the ground, accelerates the de-
composition Of the vegetable matter, and
consequently the formation of carbonic acid.
In loosening and refining the mould, the
with man; it eats earth, and after extract.
ing the nutritious part, elects the refuse,
which is the finest soil, and may be seen
lying insheaps at the mouth of its burrow.
So instrumental is this reptile in preparing
the ground, that it is said there's not a par
ticle Of the finer vegetable mould that has
not passed through the intestines of the
worm; thus the most feeble of living crea-
lures is employed by Providence to accom-
plish the most important ends. The food
Of the vegetable creation consists of carbon,
hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen, all Of
which plants obtain entirely from the at
mosphere. in the form Of carbonic acid gas,
water and ammonia. They imbibe these
three substances, and, after having decom-
posed them, they give back the oxygen to
the air, and consolidate the barbon, water,
and nitrogen into wood, leaves, flowers,
fruit. --
When seed is thrown into the ground
the vital principle is developed by heat and
moisture, and part Of the substance of the
seed is formed into roots, which suck up
water mixed with carbonic acid from the
soil, decompose it, and consolidate the car
bon. In this stage of their growth, plants
derive. their whole sustenance from the
ground. AS soon, however, as the sugar
and mucillage of the seed appear above
the ground, in the form of fleaves or shoots,
they absorb and decompose the carbonic
acid Of the atmosphere, retain the carbon
for their food, and give out the oxygen in,
the day, and pure carbonic acid in the
night. In proportion as plants grow they
derive more of their food from the air and
less from1he soil, till their fruit is ripened,
and then their whole nourishment is deriv-
from the, atmosphere. Trees are fed from
the air, aker their fruit is ripe, till their
leaves fall; ANNALS. till they die. Air
plants derive all their food from the atmos-
phere. szs a- 1s e.
In northern and mean latitudes winter is
time of complete rest to the vegetable
world, and in tropic al climates the vigor Of
vegetation is suspended during the dry, hot
season, to be resumed at the return of the
periodical rains. Almost all plants sleep
during the night; some show it in their
leaves, at night, but their foot stalks droop;
in clover field not a leaf opens till after
sunrise. The common daisy is familiar
instance of a sleeping flower; it shuts up
its blossom in the evening, and opens its
white and crimson tipped star, the ''day's
eye," to meet the early beams Of the NOR
ming sun; and then also ':winking Mary
buds begin to open their golden eyes. =
The crocus, tulip, convolvulus, and many
others, close their blossoms az different
hours towards evening, some to; open them
again, others, never. The condrille Of the
walls opens at eight in the morning and
closes forever at four in the afternoon.
Some plants seem to be wide awake all
night, and to give out their perfume then
only, or at nightfall. Many Of the jessa-
mines are most fragrant during the twi-
light: the olea fragrants, the daphen ado
rata, and the night stock, reserve their
sweetnes for the midnight hour, and the
night-fowering sirsus turns night into day.
It begins to expand its magnificent sweet
scented blossoms in the twilight, it is full
blown at midnight, and closes, never to O.
pen again, with the dawn of day; these
| s@the bats and owls Of the vegetable king
dom. Mrs. Somerrille's Physical &C.
ography.