Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1852-03-24

composing generally from ninety TO ninety
eight per cent. of rheir weight. But altho'
the elements Of organic matter form SO large
a portion Of The weigh. Of all living bodies,
yet they are not more essential TO their ex-
Is'encc than the inorganic or mineral por-
ton. The elements or constituent parts Of
organic matter are carbon, oxygen, hydro
gen, and nitrogen, which by their combina-
lions with each other form, as have said
before, by far The larges. par, Of the weigh.
of all living bodies. These elements more
over constitute The water which is found in
the earth, the matter Of the atmosphere
which we breathe. end also in combination
with mineral matter very large proportion
Of the solid par, Of the earth. Bodies ex-
isliug SO abundanlly, so widely disseminate ed
throughout The universe, are most importan,
subjects for consideration aud for attentive
study. Their properties, nature, and uses
should be well known by all who, in their
occupation in life, strive TO lift their minds
above The earth and follow their calIings
with intelligence as we'll as mere brute
strength.
CAREoN.-Of all the components of vege-
table life, carbon is the most abundant-
In its pure state ii exists as solid, differing
in this respect from the other three, which
naturally exist in an eri(orm or gaseous
stale. ], is the essential principle Of the
different varieties of charcoal. 1t is abun-
danIly formed by burning wood, with but
slight access Of air, and can also be produc-
ed in very pure form from sugar, lurpen-
Tine, starch and vinegar. The mineral call
ed graphite or blacklead is almos. pure car
bon, and in the diamond it is perfectly pure
and also crystalized. When united IN Ger
tain proportions ,o oxygen, it then loses its
solid, assumes the gaseous form, and per-
forms a most important part in the process
of vegetation. The compound thus formed
Is called carbonic acid, il exlinguishes burn-
ing bodies, and even in moderate proportion
is fatal to animal life. Where combustion
does not take place from the presence Of
carbonic acid, animal life cannot exist. ],
is The presence Of this gas which causes the
impurily of air in wells. and hence the cns-
tom Of letting down lighted candle before
persons will venture TO descend. If the
candle goes out, the air is certainly impure,
and persons cannot encounter II with safety;
and even when it exists IN quantities not
sufficient to put out a candle, yet enoUgh
may be present 10 produce serious, and
even fatal effects to those who encounter it,.
Although when breathed i, proves so nox
iops, yet when taken into the system by
other means its effects are quite agreeable
1t is this which gives to the different artfi-
cial mineral waters their pungency, aud TO
beer. porter and some kinds of wine their
pleasant flavor, which being lost by expo
sure In the air, renders them stale, tasieless
and fiat. Water absorbs j, readily, and there
By acquires the ability Of dissolving the
mineral or inorganic constituents Of soils );
a most important property, as we shall here
after see. II is always exhaled from the
lungs of animals during respiration. This
gas is formed by The burning Of wood and
coal il is emitted from volcanoes, aud is
also a constant produc. Of the decay Of vege-
table and animal matter; and therefore al
wsvs exists in the atmosphere.
Since its sources are so constant and so
abundant, the inquiry naturally presents IT.
self, how is it that it does no, accumulate
in suf1icien, quantities to render the air un-
fit for The purposes of breath. Here the
science Of chemistry unGolds at once the
benefcence and wisdom of the Creator in
a most striking and wonderful manner
This wisdom and goodness is moreover
manifested by means so perfect, and wlthal
so simple as to call forth our hig hest admI-
ration of, and our creates, alteration and
gratitude TO Him who employs them for our
good.
"Wbenever it is vouchssfed to the feeble
senses Of man 10 cast glance INTO The depths
of creation, he is compelled to acknowledge
the greatness and wisdom Of The Creator Of
the world. The greatest miracle which he
is capable Of cnmprehcnding Is that OF the
infinite simplicity of The means, by the CO.
npers,ion Of which order is preserved in
the universe, as well as in organism, and
the life and continued existence of organ
ized beings secured"
The causes which ] have enumerated
would, if no, coun,eracted, soon render the
earth unfit for animal life bu, that which
animals throw off as unfit any longer for
their use, is that without which vegetable
lie could not exist. That which is poison
to The one is food 10 the other. For all
vegetables absorb through their leaves this,
TO animals deadly poison, and separate the
carbon so as with i. to build up their slrnc-
ture; while they exhaIe The other cons'lu-
ent, oxygen, 10 purify the air. There is
thus ever kept up a healthy balance IN the
and constant and necessary
relation exists between vegetable and ami
NAL life. Where The one exists in the great
est abundance, The Other will also ever be
found in like ratio, aud animals depend for
their food on vegetable production no more
than vegetables on animals for the materials
for their structure. Every tree, plan! and
shrub ,ha, grows purifies the atmosphere,
.nd fnrn;shes mir Cor The Use of man and the