New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1849-02-02
Chemistry In 1t. ReIauos rs Agriculture.
d.. aS1isEIL's rHIRD LECTURE.

vhose chemical composition they enter
The Lecturer commenced BY review Of the sources
Of the nutrition Of plants mainly derived from the ,r,
elements Of Air and Water lie went % 70 explain
Why these are called elements. from their supposed
simple formation IL has however, been clearly provel
that none Of the socslea elements are simple bodies
they are compound AID It 8 this compound nstur.
which contributes materially 10 tie su.,ens nce o
plant.
Tfst however which most Interests Is and which
j. the more important, e The Afr. We may look upor
To- said the Doctor a. smother onse ocean surround
IN the earth We nay SAT iha, the earth i IN reality
surrounded b two great oceans-a liquid and gas
eous The constituents OF the atmosphere however
tire Doctor proved liable 10 reguen, changes In dler
en-, localities and sdver;ed also to IL rsrefsctou on
elevst0as-snd the amount o. pressure 90 lncOuven
He then Feat On 20 establish the theory the sir
an Ocean We are Al familiar. said he with the mo-
ti0ls Of the sea caused By currents Of wind. Nov
We msy look upon the a nosphere in the same way
IL "a liable the chsngesin this connection Dr.
took occasion 70 .llude - the OF the Barometer
In indicating these variations and save that nstrumen,
bis emphatic condemnation for any really practical pur
poses or for Ion gcoutinued observatons although il
may answer excellent end for ordinary purposes.
Recurring % the consideration Of the air ocean
the DR. compared the principles Observable In both.
w ind that in the the upper portions press upon
the lower until the pressure 20 gresi that no organic
substances subsist, nor certain matters abide
the enormous pressure, but VII burst - with the
atmosphere IL greatest pressure - always At the
ssevel and this serves an admirable purpose In ems
bling plants % take IN greater amount Ot susenance
We ind also thst the atmosphere penetrses the earth
aud the sea and the advantages Of this are very numer
ous.
The air said the Doctor j. not substance united
chefncaly-L T. - particles not held together by
chemical attraction. The Substances entering into iis
composition were given 10 foil aud be then proceeded
70 series OF experiments with the individual gases.
In loo parts. the air mas 81 parts OF Oxygen = Of Nj.
irogen, trace q Ammonia and parts In 10000 90
Of Csrbcnc Acid.
The first Of these treated o. wss Nitrogen Gas The
Doctor mentioned the various modes Of separating Il
from the common air aud Illustrated his remarks by
interesting experiments in producing Phosphorc
Acid from the combustion II phosphorus in pure oNy.
gen be explained very clearly the tact o the death OF
plants when exposed 20 the action OF this gas alone
They live too fast upon the atmosphere Of uncom
5ined oxygen and the HctiOn Of the ltter 10 pow
erul as soon 20 seize upon and eecompOse the plant
But mixed with spporuoned volume Of the other
Ingredients Of common air, plants and animals are en-
abed to live upon Il with cOmiDrt-Ine Ammonia ex'
sting in the atmosphere will Be trested Of In succeed
ing Lecture.
Carbouic Acid was then touched upon again. sni ne
properties briefly recapua,ed. II has tendency 10
spread and occasionally attan even the highes, posi-
tions. II has. 10 an eminent degree, the remarktole
property q Few gases Of Rang through much lighter
strata Of the atmosphere slihough IL IA one OF the
deusest Of gases Il has great affinity Tor earihs and
nav BE- ably produced for purposes OF experiment
By treating little marble chalk with suphunc or
any other strong acid-Tne sea has the property Of
mixing carbonic scd with itsef taking t from the SIR
The acid Is formed more shundsntly in the daytime
than At zht which is readily explained oy the once
performed By the Stomsts Of The leaves OF plants sd
verted % in previous Lecture. The stomais are eN
posed only IN the sunlight and il Is then We ind that
this acid essential 70 the growth OF vegetation Il 10
the rapid formation Il 10 also formed sounhanty
10 summer from the rapid decomposition Of vegetable
substances
The amount Of nutrious matiers and particularly
Carbon taken p by plants from the gases OF the atmo'
phere hiss been very satisfactorily determined by the
Five. Yea- Rotation experiments Of N. Bou"ingsult
which were the largest undertaken FOR similar
purpose and which are the more Important rom tne
reputation Of y Boussincault as prac lcal chemist
snd ANALYST tie found that the proportion OF Carbon
taken In might be taief thus Take 25l3 a. the amount
of sustensnce derived from the soil and ice yled OF
the crops az 7Jif ard We have balance on V5l los
of Carbon which must have been taken in from the
To Illustrate this still farther DR. made curious
calculation Of the knd, spilled b the state Of
View York Allowing II Two and three quarter Millions
people said he they give on a. the yearly quantity
Of Carbon or charcoal amount equal 20 lj-OOO tons
Allowing now. twice a. much for the amount produced
o. men aud Gaaois together. IA very moderate esti
late As the actual vtison Of the air by animals 10 SIR
fn,s that Of Man and the total approaches very
closely 10 900 given OF into the Atmosphere Ia
the course of year Every Of charcoal 10 sufficient
for the sustenance OF OF ground 50 that these
lion acres sufficient nutrma NJ i0l a year
Another process b. which carbonic acid 10 added 10
the atmosphere. IL BY All kinds Of comOustiln ana
especially those frequently occurring IN domestic
affairs The carDOnic scid thus thrown OF 10 OF very
great amount
Il is calculated also that In the combination Of say
Two Millions Of lbs Of Coal which tss tset - per
cent of charcoal or csrOon m its omPosuon) lvOO
600 tons of charcoal are furnished yearly % the ground
Bat even these great sources OF supply would De
wholly insufficient, by Themselves TO iuhl tns "sne'
Of vegetable life were . no, Tor me immense quahuy
Of the essential elements OF plants furnished ~ them
BIZ the ordinary decay Of Nlture-the decomposition
Of vegetable matters. Of forests aud undergro"tns &C
and al the luxurisnt vegetation of the Equnocnal re-
gons There carbonic scid formed 10 an enormous
extent and Is carried Of By the simo> into me
moro temperate ATTITUDES where II - not aDuLoant
There i vet another source OF CHbonc Acid In the
esrta-ihat OF its evolution from assures formed y
volcanoes or volcanic agencies. In Localities around
volcanoes the esrth Is often cracked Just before the
eruption and then IL that this gas escapes exercising
Is noxious power over human hie II the atmosphere
In the vicinity Is favorable u sucn seuyn - 'n,'
property which produces the fatal effects Of the famous
Death Valley OF Jsvs-als0 called the UPas valley
from that aourishng nere In 90 remarkable iuSu
rance The land OF this Valley Is IN the form oil os-
sin, abou. a mile and hall across ana IS uleo Win
rarbouic acid gas produced by volcanic Influences -
The acid produces most luNurisnt vegetation III MI
parts Of the Valley but aluref by the gay and ensIh
ing prospect both men and animais nave ialeh - tno
prey Of the noxious vepor-s Is the presence OF tue
erty OF eXtiuguishing lie
kbupdsnt proofs are furnished that a a former pc
rod of the world when vegetation was the most luNl
RANT much more Of this constituent was present IN me
atmosphere thsn noV-pr0ving that Man col-d not
have then existed Hence and from certain other De
ducons the Lecturer argued that the quantity 81 tnis
Ingredient 10 the composition u ths atmosphere has
materially decreased.
Among the other substances which 20 20 the support
Of plants Is Vasr Il not until recently slso max
this Va. known 20 Be compound body OF me eomPo-
.itiOn OF parts oxygen 70 l OF hydrogen-"strf Is
found rot only TO perform the 0tlce OF Supplying
moisture 20 the plant Of adding 70 Us sod pars
We md that the woody i5re Is composed OF CARBON
an water and the roots soundanty furnished oy
the water with essential mineral substances and other
nutritious matters which holds In solution .nd mus
Supplies IS needed Water mas also said the Doctor sn
Extraordinary resuscitstive well a. supplying power
4. proved By the conclusive experiments Of SP4iAn1hl
and others.
The psxt Lecture will treat Of the Processe' OF
ferrnnsti1n. and the starch OILS, Sugar and other
substances. found in PlAats It will be delivered iAi'
Friday evening
THy DErEyri0s o. THE MAiLs-Ine Bdifim0re
4ze-ieaa II tie 3s, ul' says
The condition Of things AZ the mouth Of the su'gue-
hannah River continues the sane % yestefasy. Inc