The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1858-07-10
IGrifuligrG {.

~ . l.dNt SIll ti.c SSti, pahts 10
composed Of organic and inorganic matter.
Inorganic matter is the ash or what remains Il
after burniug-in the case of SOL, what re-
mains after being heated to redness. This
part Of the soil IS derived mainly from rocks
which have been decomposed from various
causes. The in rganic parts are mineral,
and are the products or results OF the action
OF the atmosphere, water, frost, &c, cheUi-
caIlv. upon rocks All that Is inorganic III
plants or animals is derived from these
sources, for they existed before plants OF
animals. For after the waters were DIV tded,
the dry land appeared. and was called 10y
tie Creator. earth; and God said, Let the
earth bring forth grass, the herb Welding
seed, end the fruit tree yie'dlng 1ruit amer
his kind, whose seed is IN Itself upon l"e
earth: and il Was so. Ana uod SAID, Let
the earth bring forth the ilv ng creature al
t,r lis kind, cait!e and creeping thing, and /
hast of the earth after his kind: and it
WAS so.
The inorganic portion Of lac soil is greater
than the orgaric part. The inorganic part
i divided into soluble and insolub,e-thc
first named part is saline, the laGt named
earthly. Johnston says, 'Ghis saline matter
Vii consist Of common salt, gypsum, sal
,.iate Of soda, su'phate of magncs!a, with .
traces Of the cAioriies Of calcium, IN gnc,um
and potassium, and of potash, soda, lime,
and magnes;a, in combination win nltTi:
aud phosphorus, and with the h"mic ana
other organic acids. 1t is from these sola-
BE substances that the plants derive the
greater portion 81 the saline Ingredients cor
tanned in the ash they leave when burn q.
THIS saline matter in the soil is of course
uC the e1ea est importa &c to the plants al d
EXISTS in most soils in much greater proper
lion than We arc apt to suppose. Any one
who has visited the salt springs Of Salna and
Syracuse, y. \, aud tTsVerscd those marsh
e.. will rcu enber t a during dry time,
tho dry surf ace of the bottoms are tIequcnt-
Il covered with a saty incr alton, which
J. dissolved by shower and disappears
Tn. IS tie eject Of Or weather 4. d wet
unon the saline matter in soils. Water dl =
solves them, and they sink into the subs Vii.
Dry weather cvaporatCs the water and the
saline matter rises to the surface with the
water II is such weather tina; furnishes the
cora plant with the saline matter II manu-
flctura It's shining metallic stalk and leaf
Some soils are too highly imPrcgnltcd with
& lu'tle a inc matter, and incTustaticns APP
Ie.r on the surface Of the leaves Of plants,
IS described above as appearing On the sur
f.ce Of II soil This is usually death to
The plant ultimately, having the same effect
vat pouring t'iJ S+i -'iS ''A u ~ Ct+-
have. There = sea. -cly a farmer out has
seen tLe effect Of this upon pumpkins, whcr
.csrly natured After a dry time rain
comes or, which washes the saline matte!
-.to the soil. \ hot sun causes this water
10 cvaporatc, and il Is we! known the large
leaves oil tne pumpkin and squash evapOTat'
water largely upon their large surfaces
This evaporation leaves the leaf Of the pa
cncruS.cd with saline matter which it can
not dispose of or aSSimi'atc.
The earthly or iuso'ubIe part Of the soil ]
much the larger proportion OF the nor-an'
part, Is the reader WI! infer from the orig.
Of the Inorganic par. OF the soil 1t i
in4uly sand, clay, and lime, with pc
cent Of oxide Of iron, in greater CT les
quantity. This brings US directly 10 thu
classification Of soils, of which there is
,.eplorable amount OF observation-disclosures be
ing but small proportion Of farmers VIII
car, distinguish by their names the di!tereF
kinds OF soil. More Of this Lereefter.-
Ens.Yy'S Jo,THal.
THE FKENCH SuiP-C Canal SCHEME.-Tl
Paris correspondent of the London IiR
giTrs copy OF the Convention conc.ud.
between the Government OF Costa Rira,
the one part, and Felix Eeln, acting in /
Ialf OF Mcllaud & Co, Of Paris, on the othe
:n!c canal By the river San Juan and Ia}
Ni,aragua. The document is dated II;
list The company are to commence woI
in two years, aud colnplet. ii in six, AMI {!
channel Of The canal : to admit two of 4
largest ships to pass abreast. K Is 10
eatire.v under French direction, and q
French government IS II have the cXcius.'
privilege OF keeping two ships OF war
the water Of the route throughout the who
period occupied in the construction Of Il
canal. The duration OF tue concession
ninety-ui7e years from tie opening of Il
canal, and the line IS to b. open to ali fl
ut moderate uniform toll.
The Tines pronounces this scheme il
practicable, the capital being estimated
ten to fifteen III Hons sterling. Append
10 the above Convention is dccarati
S'gnsd by the President Of Costa Rica a
Nicaragua. setting forth the suiItIiHcs tin
have endured from the tii.JustrrS, and Il
risks they still run from fresh invaSio
known to be in preparation, and in rcali
under the patronage Of the United Stat
Government, and appealing TO the &c
powers Of Europe to sustain them in the
independence. and not to leave the coast
Central America 10 the mercy Of marauie!
but enforce the observance Of the pub
law.
Nom THAN 4 PLEDGE NEzDEo.-Jr. II:
shall Of Kentucky, better known as To
Marshall, Il politician OF remarkable q
qrcnce and marked pecuiaritieS OF chara
Ter, while a member oil Congress contract
drinking habits which threatened his Tu
As remedy, he took the pledge, and
came distinguished as public advocate
the cause. After several years abStincn
lie fell into his former habits. Recently
Cincinnati, in lecture on Temperance,
made tie following allusion t his early re;
buttons AID his attempts to carry them on
Evcry word of that was written in t
deepest sincerity. 1t was ie,t mos heart
| Was -c0..iicut ia myself. When | 10
1a,l, upoH that speech sec in 1t boasti'
Wanting tone that makes ,nc feel asian,
In that speech | deded 4 dcmon-I DEF
the dryil-aud the devil attacked me ant
fell. like Lucfcr, through pride. | neoC
the lesson to teach me not 10 rely wholly
my.ef. But have come to myself in
beautiful words Of that beautiful book VIII
we call the Bible. go on now in an IN
bier mood, ard molcstiy seek support c
side Of myself. lean upon a stronger i
than mine. 1t was TO strengthen myself
This last effort that | delivered this addr
t0-,IElt, Ter foyi hat if i fall aow, s!
fall never to rlsc.'
YoUvG AAsEIca-A certain Judge, W
attending court IN shire town, was pass
a!ons the road y here boy was letting dC
the bars 10 drive some cattle in. lis fat
stood in The door Of the house, on the
posite Side Of tie road, and seeing what
hopeful boy was doing, shouted out:
john, don't YOU drive the cattle
there; told you to put the cattle in
pasture behind the house"
The bog took no notice whatever of
re:aonstrance, and the father repeated
or5er Ia = louder tone, without the least