Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1856-07-02

cent of phosphoric acid, and therefore more
nutritious than wheat straw, owing TO the
quantity of silica being less in proportion, and
a greater percentage of lime, potash and phos-
phoric acid. In this analysis, the farmer dis
covers another very important matter, which
is, that one crop does not require the same
quantity and kind of manure that another may
need; and this being properly understood,
would enable the farmer more profitably to
manage a rotation of crops.
As we have briefly considered the inorganic
parts of plants, we will now consider another
class of their constituent elements, denomina-
ted the organic elements of plants, and much
more difficult to be understood, without some
knowledge of chemistry, yet very important,
as they are said to compose from 80 to 81 per
cent of their substance and the ash, or inor-
ganic matter, is the balance.
Professor J. F. w. Johnson says: 'EThe sol
id rocks and soils, the atmosphere, the waters
of the seas and oceans, everything which nei-
ther is nor has been the seat of life may gen.
orally be included under the head of inorganic
matter. The bodies of all living animals and
plants and their dead carcases, consist of or
ganic or organized matter. These generally
exhibit kind of structure readily visible by
the eye as in the pores of wood and in the f.
bres of hemp or of the lean of beef" And
he also says, s'that sugar, starch and gum, are
formed in plants in great abundance, yet do
not present any pores or fbres .hey have
never been endowed with organs, yet being
produced by the agency of living organs, they
| are included under the general name of or
ganic matter.''
The seeds of plants have an organized form
in embryo, a part of which organization any
one may see by splitting bean, where the leaf
| in embryo, is plain and ready to expand and
enlarge as soon as the vital principle within it
is brought into action, by heat and moisture.
/ Those substances, taken into circulation in the
plant, with the vital powers inherent in itself,
and assimulated into itself, increasing its bulk,
and structure, and reproduction of germs, may
properly be called organic substances or ele-
ments, and those substances of deposit, in the
| plant, by the vital economy of the plant, as
we may be permitted to say such as starch, J.,
sugar and gum, may be called organic matter.
| When we burn vegetable, say wood or straw,
nearly all its substance passes off into the at
mosphere, and but small portion is left of
ash. Professor Norton says, ''It is easy to
see that this portion of the plant can only have
been formed from air at first.''
BY chemical experiments, it is now settled
that the organic parts of plants, consists of
four substances. They are carbon, oxygen,
nitrogen and hydrogen; carbon is charcoal
as form wood and other vegetables, and of
course is very abundant in nature. All vari-
eties burn freely in the open air, and while
burning, the oxygen of the atmosphere, unites
with its base, and it is converted into carbonic
acid gas. 1t is then suspended in the atmos-
| pheric air, and being divided into atoms is in
a state to be taken up by vegetables, and con-
verted into part of fthcir substance. Oxygen,
Hydrogen and Nitrogen in their pure state,
are gasses, or different kinds of air. Oxygen,
it is said, composes one-fifth of our atmos-
| phere, and nitrogen the remaining four-ffths.
1t composes water united with hydrogen,
eight parts by weight of oxygen, to one by
weight of hydrogen. These three gasses, or
| airs, are without color, taste, or smell they
chemically combine with variety of substan-
ces; earths, alkalies apd metals, forming va
rious compounds, and with each other, some
of which will be hereafter noticed. How Won
derful, that two airs should form water, which
| is visible, can be tasted, and seen while the
''S w. - '1' ~ nJo, NJ.
withstanding this TO us, so wonderful, inert
are irnumerable changes continually going or
in nature, according to the laws of the Great
Creator of the Universe, and it is not less
surprising, and wonderful, that atoms of earths
and atoms Of airs, should become fibres and
nerves IN the animal creation subject to vi
tality, and protesting the power of Iocomo-
| ton.
Conclusion nert WeeL.