The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-02-07

ny very eloquent appeal to all to abstain from
The President then proposed vote of thanks to
the lecturer which unanimously responded to.
Lie then, in the Of the Mechanics Institute,
asked Mr.. Deevan for a copy of his lecture for
publication.
Smithsonian Institution.
PROFESSOR RODGERS CONCLUDING LECTURE on THg
ATMOSPHERE
The weather on the last night Of Professor Rod
geIs' lecture was extremely unfavorabe. There
had been fall of snow that day, and but three or
four hundred persons assembled, among whom were
very few females. The objects which had hitherto
occupied the attention Of his audiences, Dr. Rodgers
said, had been the mechanical and chemical pro.
perties OF the atmosphere and it became important
to understand how the Ingredients Of tie atmos-
phere are separated from each other. He there
fore proceeded to describe the staple PROCESS by
Which the several gases If the atmosphere are
separated, and classification is accomplished which
result is produced by tho law Of atinity--ce,tain
substances being used which combine with the
nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon OF tho a.mes-
phere. Thus, nitrogen may be produced by
burning PHOSPHORUS or atmospheric air, which
abstracts the oxygen, and the residual gas after
agitation with water solution Of potash IL puro
nitrogen. This nitrogen is found to exist ia largo
plants. Hence the one is termed heterogeneous, and
the other non heterogeneous bodies. The professor
then called attention to the fact that all vegetable
and animal structures consist OF some three four
oil the Ingredients OF the atmosphere, which are to
be found in different proportions il albunen, which
resembles the white of m egg, ibrin, that con
situtes fish, and casseine Of the component parts
OF cheese. The simplest form Of organization, he
said, ID found on the surface OF snow, described
by travellers as being red substance, which the
microscope reveals to be species of minute fungi
each particle beng composed Of single cell, ex-
listing individually and alone Ii is agaia discovered
where fermentation takes place. the east that's thus
produced being found to be 8 kind OF fungus, COM
posed Of plant that 10 constantly developing itself
IN buds, which form a succession of cells, each at
tachcd to the preceding one. lie then allcded to
the approximation OF animate TO inanimato matter,
between which, in tho higher forms OF Il life,
there is no difficulty in deciding, while in the hum
best classes the distinction tails as, in some in
stances, vegetables move from place to place, dis
playing all the functions of ANIMAL life, and present
y they become dxedtoa spot, ana form what is in
contestably plant; SO that at one time it is appa
rentiy tn animal, and at another exhibits all the
characterlstcs OF vegetable growth. There is IN
Important distinction, he said, between vegetable
and animal life. In the one case, vegetables absorb
cal bon, and are continually throwing off oxygen,
by WHICH the air OF room, in which thcre arc
flowers, is bdered more pure, when posed to the
action of the sun, and during the day. But whiio
this is true Of plants, it il very different with refe
renee to animals; which will be found inhaling oxy
are continually feeding on WI animal. expe; and
animals arc being furnished, in return, with that
which the plants reject, and which ii esseatiel to
their existence. TINS remark as respects plants,
he said. does not apply to plants that 1.-Two on or
Sani2ed Eodies--is Is not true Of fungi or any Of
the mushroom tribe; none Of these producing the
eject that has been described; but which respire
carbon and iahalo oxygen IN the same manner Us
ANNA DO, deriving their sustenaace from decayed
wood Oh tie animals which they insest, ard have
the osallaed material already furnished The
relations q plants and animals, the Professor sat
cave another in aortaat bearing. While plants
decor pcsa the Gtin osphe!e. and apLgoa1iate iS3
=, carbon for their growth and support, and throw
cut OK gen, under the influence Of the sum- this
| il not the action Ct she plans during tae night.
| The roots then are operating on tho atmosphere,
absorbing The oxygen, while leaves pei carr On
Professor Rodgers next &C 7eTed 10 the growth Of
plants, which no exeDplfed By beginning with q
simple seed, in which food ks1 already been pro-
Tidcd "a TIC staTciy matter waicn it contains, and
which has been stored uptor use, IRON, which source
the pialt Is nourshld before il shoots out its
lets Meantime, 8 species ci combustion has osen
going on ard the process Of termination hes bsen
| AIDED by Il DISTURB aid warmth During this gor-
Ianatng process, he sad, the warmth mas become
intense, 50 much so that the plant is often de-
| stroyed, but, as yet, nothing has como from the
| air. Presently, however, the roots rlmify, and
leaves spread out from the s.om, which rises by an
instructive move ent; and then comes tho double
action oi the leaves deriving nourisbuent from tho
atmosp here, and the roots pumping it up from be-
| low. and the action Of the root becomes mott
important. SO long as the plant was Independent
| OF extraneous succur, they did not exert to a5-
| sorb from the surrounding earth; but when they
are called into activity, they operate by means Of
sac at the termination Of each rooslot, through
which nutiiment, in very subtitle form, is received
ito the plant, according to the law Of what Is
| termed entoEosis as is the case where the car
! bonc acid gas peIetrstes the lungs, dispaces tho
oxygen, ard is then expelled from tho system.
! There is great resemblance, also, between this
termination Of the roots Of plants and that Of the
arteries in the human system, a. which slaced
the capillary vessels, in which the support of the
| solid. and the formation Of the fluid parts OF tho
| system especially, take place The Professor here
went into the consideration Of capillary attraction,
| which is known TO possess force Of enormous
energy, and which, il Of the districts Of France
is used for the purpose Of separating mill stones Of
| large size, BY process which he described This