Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-08-29
Mts1eIIaneous.
From Putnam's Meuthly.
A RURAL FRAGMENT -CHEMIC0.AG-
hICULTURAL.

uCHL1Un tOTtuUuttlf TGStS upOh " N'S'HN
The agricultural ia ncies of the time appeal at
once to tie bubbles of vanity ard to the nuggets
of sound sense which combine 50 variously to form
the great mass Of human nature, OF when th,s
world lie made up. Whether the rural mama took
its origin in necessity, taste, freak, or fashion,,
is of no sort of consequence the mama does
exist, and my FORM" my short-horns," my
pear orchard" are important objects in the day
dreams and cash accounts OF q large portion oil our
commercial people. Fortunate it is Tor "our com
mercial people, THAT they have sucf an inexhaustl.
BILE subject on which to lavish their poetry and
their purses.
Watching, travel, and the sports of the field and
turf. in time produce ennui but the satisfaction
of causing-or thinking. that we cause-two blades
of grass to grow where but one grew before u.s.
uneaualed by any that these purely pleasant pas
times can originate. 1t gives US an Importance IN
our own eyes il not in the eyes of others, which
il at least commensurate with tho effect impress
cd on The world by our endeavors.
And then, if the material result of our labors
grow wearisome, what a world of now and start
ling certainly. but how gentle and eoothing, on
closer acquaintance, do these friends of our inner
life become. For, however great may be the
pleasure, and the pride with which we regard the
corn that our tenderness has reared, and our IN
dustry perfected, it is f1 beneath the feeling with
which we %analyze with the brain this result OF our
toll. When we watch, as far as our lnperiectl
knowledge will allow, how each little atom taxes
assigned position in FIRST the blade, the ear, ai'er
vnnt LDe Iuli COTn III tNc tti, ~ ''SNN' "-J
we dote on my farm" and on my pear-orchard,
for then are these a1juncts of our life most thror-
ougly our POSSESSIONS.
Many are deferred from making this closer and
more gratifying acquaint tnce with their country
neighbors, because of the technical nomenclature
with which men have hemmed them in. But this
need be no bugbear. Many a farmer has the bib.
Ideally derived names OF his ten children flowing
g'ibly from his tongues end, and from - a6ez"
to ''Zachariah." there is no contoundlng OF titles
-: r loaN, - ca Hmm Ia ~ ho with
our servants of the air and of the earth-thelr
cognomens ore simple if they are new their
abodes are accessible to our investigation and
their social characters are not the less open 10
criticism, because they live m "houses not made
with hands, Servants they are most truly, and
from carbon to chlorine they stand ready to answer
to the call of an intelligent master. and to lend n
willing and effective hand TO his service. But
they do not ike to be miscalled or wrongly sought
for.
Nitrogen, who lives a6ove-stairs, dancing in
blue air, does not like to be considered a citizen
of the earth. She may be enticed down and made
to perform service as q kitchen.maid. but her
tendencies are all upward, and it requires a close
guardianship to keep her at work.
Su!phuric acid, on the other hand, revels IN the
caverhs Of the earth-a perfect demon of selfish
ness and acrimony. He will not bear q suspicion
of being a "Celestial," and feeels that contempt
for the sky that we feel for our antipodes. All OF
his deeds are hidden. and bic grasping efforts have
u SuuuenDbsb Anu HyobClJ VI u VIZ pNi'SS'
Still, if we understand his foibles and his prefer
ences, we may make good use of him. Let an
atom of Ammoni--a child of Hydrogen aud M
trogen, born in death, and LED by Cdrbonic acid
to the serene home of the gasses-he beaten down
in the storm or lured to destruction by decending
dew, and our miser closes with it at once, and OF
fers it-and, poor fellow, himself, toto the
growing plant, blessing US with his short-sigated
thieving. We have heard practical farmers-men
too. with a fair share OF cducation-talk OF raising
huoLtybaat IN dro w this hiding old fellow from the
air. Bless their innocence, they might as well
look for an iron mine in the air-as soon expect to
see water running up hill, as S%ulphuric acid tax
ing up its abode in the atmosphere.
There is our amorous Oxygen, whose history
would fill a volume. Ever active, devoted, life
and soul, to ",he Union" forming matrimonial al
liances with every old bachelor IT the soil. and
creating a general rumpus in the society OF earth
Here is a clique of fast friends-P Potassium, Sodi-
um, Iron, Manganese-tied together in close COM
munion, happy in the idieness OF their pristine
condition. Cut down to their bed with the sub
soil pillow, admit this universal lover of the air,
and what a change takes place!-the bonds OF
acquaintance are broken, free'l0ve associations are
put to shame, and such a series OF unions take
place as cause a rafting among the dry bones oil
the fogies below. Potash, Soda. Peroxyd OF Iron
Peroxyd of Manganese-all arise in their con.
bined force, and make glad the mantle OF vegeta
ton above.
Hydrogen. light and coquettish, floats like {
sprite over all. Her attachments are various anC
easily formed, but they are divorced from thell
old combinations. She locks arms with the Draw
ny maid Nitrogen, whenever she is 'born again
in her presence. Ammonia, thus formed, dances
gaily on in the rustic reel" until, true to the
time and tune Of natures great instrument, the
sisters again part, and each, after her kind. lends
yigor to the turfy carpet on which they tread
This is but her pastime. She loves to hlrt,to WOO,
and to jilt, and there is good in her propensities-
but, after all, she settles down into an almost life
49, ~ - H. ~, -
Oxygen. Virgins are welded, and the world re
joices. Their life is one of purity, holy love
~sprightly play. earnest labor, and high sublimity
Now babbling down the mountain-side nov
turning the mill with stalwart arm ; now thunder
ing in heaven.like majesty in the ceaseless Mag
ara; now dashed to anger in the shoreles
sea they are everywhere to be seen, and CIV
erywhere beautiful. Yet they have an inner lf
of still greater beauty. Made ethereal by tn
suns gentle influence, they huat about US, bathin
the earth with the freshness of an evening dew
Creeping down and about among the particles c
our soil, they, by their combined efforts, carr
food to our plants and, like gentle handmaiden'
they cleanse the abode of their roots. Hydroge
and Oxygen-water- Heaven be praised for tn
blessing!
Hard and practical, working only from 'su'
to sun" comes the great substance. former, Cd'
bon. He lays the warp, over and unde
which the woaver-growth-throws the WOO
holding shuttle. Having lain inert as long as eli
.cumstances require, he throws over MS pihcK lott
the gauzy mantle of oxygen, and flies away to tn
green leaf, or sinks down to the open spongiolt
Of the root, enters the plant, throws off his di
guise, and resumes his life of usefulness. Throug
out nature. whatever may be the various colorin
of the wool of the fabric, the stolid warp is ev'
the same, and il disclosed to view it will alwa,
appear MS black, practical carbon performing iol
.one.half of the work, yet sinking its identity
the structure of the tissue. !.
So might we decide Rosphoric acid. the bank
of the soil, giving riches by his presence, al
leaving d~esolation in his absc ence, Chlorine al
Sodium. the ''salt Of the EARTH" Potash, etc.
They have oil their characters and their duties
Man caanot live where they are not. They a
at once our companions. our servants, and o.
masters. They are ever about us, ever doing o.
work and ever holding us dependent on their labc
Surely their acquaintance should attract "comme