Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1851-10-16

success and have opened us new and enlarged views
of the structure and organizations of plants and oi tho
supplies necessary their growth and subsistence,
well as OF those they furnish for the support of man.
And it is here that chemistry, especially by the i'm
proved process OF analysis has shown itself the efficient
handmad Of agriculture. Ii has taught that the IN
conbustibe inorganic portion of pants-the ashes
small indeed exceeding two per cent in weight, bat
essential the economy OF vegetaton-s derived from
the SOIL while the organic portion, the carbon, the by-
drogen the oxygen and the nitrogen lmbbed by the
roots and leaves and conveyed by the proper vessels IN
manner unknown TO every part Of the plant. and
Incorporated by assimilation with the new body into
which they enter.
How FAR these inquiries may be extended and what
hidden operations of Nature they may ultimately con-
duct in the progress OF human knowledge, it were
rash TO undertake even to conjecture That we have
not reached the boundary which divides what may be
known from what be unknown, is evident from
all that daily passing around in the world Of mat
ter The limit may be far distant, and doubt impor-
tan developments will hereafter reward the zeal and
dustry of philosophical nquireres ard perhaps give
plain views. where have but imperfect gimpses
Of Jehovahs kingdom. All this is, however, wisely
concealed from us, that presumption and dependency
may be equally repressed. But may safely assume
that many Of the final causes, and of the secondary
agencies aso which the vast creation Of God,
and preserve that wonderful harmony in his works by
which the elements Of destruction forever pressing
upon those Of preservaton but pass the limits
prescribed to them by Him who has assigned TO each its
proper functions the economy of Nature and has made
these hostile principles to contribute TO universal order,
in another and higher state of existence. In the whole
range Of the visible creation there brighter spot
than this for the eye Of to rest Gpon where
the wisdom Of the Creator is wonderfully displayed
The original impusive power and the power Of grav-
taOn combined to retain the planetary bodies
in their orbits, and to conduct them along their track
less paths in the heavens with unerrng precision There
they have been and are and there they will be till their
great work is ended. And vet how admirable the adap
tion by which these mighty masses guided and
troed and the agencies IN operation balanced and res
trained The predomiHance of one would bring these
worlds together involving their the des
tructon of system while that of the other would
lease them from the bonds OF mutual dependence, and
send them TO wander in the boundess regions of space
where the human ina gnation could follow them
in their endless career. And the same wisdom is dis
played the natural operations around and in the
midst of which life is passing. changei in the
sttuent principles Of the atmosphere, an undue superb
ority of ofits elements would render il unfit for
piration and incapable of performing the functions
signed to it. Fire. water, animals plants-the whole
economy Oi Nature, indeed-would feel the effects O
such modification, and OF the revolution it would bring
with II. The ocean and the atmosphere kept with
in their respective limits rain and sunshine follow each
other beautiful succession and the whole order of the
universe maintained by this combination of antagonis
tic principles thus harmonionsy blended and made to
work in unison together. 1t is not the wisdom of
but the ordination Of God which bounds the fe
cundity OF insect e and spares from the infections
like those which visited Egypt when her proud monarch
hardened his heart against the Divine command What
would avail human might if the barriers against nde
mite multiplication broken down. and il the locust
should the face Of the earth that there should
main green NiRg2 In such warfare powerless
would be human strength against enemy whose
bers would mock to the efforts Of And TINS
the hail, the wind the rain, If held in check by
superior power, would rule the ascendant, and scatter
destruction the fair face Of Nature. But far
mishtier than they has bounds their destroying
agencies and each furnishes its contribution of good
the great work Of all.
The impressive language of reproof addressed by the
Almighty Job may be addressed to every OF Ad
am; "Where thou when laid the foundations OF
the earth7 Deblare, if thou hast understanding" !"
'When the morning stars together, and all the
of God shouted for oyl" The human faculties
bewildered in the contemplation Of the wonderful power
OF the Creator; and still the il is made known to
by knowledge Of His Works-by the knowledge that
there worlds Of animated beings around u.s. forever
invisible to the naked eye but each enjoying his allotted
share of happiness while FAR beyond u.s. the regions
OF space those shining orbs whose Objects to our
vision is only to deck the sky with gterng points but
which reason and analogy equally teach us destined
to far nobler ends-to the performance of important
functions in the great scheme Of creaton and probably
peopled with intelligent beings, perhaps better fitted
than we are TO comprehend these miracles of creative
power-a power felt in the regions of mitable space
equally inaccessible human vision and to the efforts of
the human comprehension.
I'VE cannot
Where universal love not smiles around.
Sustaining all yon orhs and all their suns,
From seeming evil still eduoing good
And better thence again. and better still,
In infinite progression"
The researches of modern chemistry have been sue
cessfuly directed objects Of inquiry equally
sentia Just and rational view OF the true theory and
practice Of agriculture. One of the elements which
furnish proper nutrment the animal SYSTEM and the
other the plants in which this pabulum of life is most
abundantly found. Experiments, skilluy directed and
steadily pursued have already conducted FAR in this
interesting field Of Investigations and strange is it that
it has been but recently explored the real spirit Of
ductve philosophy. Scarcely century has elapsed
since much has been known OF the structure of
cofv afobio
ology among those most accessible to daily obser
vation yet involved in doubt and dispute. Chemis-
try has been far behind the sister sciences and is only
with the commencement of the present century that
commences that era of its advancement when the abors
Of analysis and the principles of induction rescued it
from the hands of the alchemsts and have given it the
dignity OF sciences contributing not less to the comfort
OF man than TO true knowledge oi many oil the most
interesting operations Of Natures and IT is by other
process that we can expect obtain just conceptions of
the nature and properties of the undecompOsed SUBJ
stances which, in the present state of knowledge
may be called elementary principles, and by whose
all living organized bodies constituted and
perform their functions The boldnessthe blind rash
ness, rather-of man leads him to reject the slow pro-
Of following Nature step by step, and adding fact
after fact his o knowledge, and then combin
ing these together and deducing such general laws
may be given him to develop and comprehend For
centuries the theory came first, and then facts
sought to support IT, But though this scientific empi-
ricsm is not yet wholly banished, it is yielding
rational spirit Of investigation; and the reward
has been found in that wonderful advance OF knowledge
in the natural sciences which has made the age in which
live eminenty practical Our first business is
with the operations Of Nature and after that with their
and effects And il is obvious that II is far easi-
to the former than the latter and that hotv
the functions Of organized matter 20 is problem Of
easier solution than phy they 60 The general pro-
cess Of vegetation meets us at every step OF life, and
observation and experience have revealed many of its
principles. We know that seeds germinate, that the
sap crcufafes and that the body Of the plant gradu
ally developed by assimilation and have ascerained