New-York tribune., 1868-12-24

bark Of slgiaria trees. Examining coal with micro.
scope after proper pepaauon we can sec the structure
one distinct seams OF coal in Nova Scotia every one bnt
two or three had glara, either in the coal or immedi
merely the debris Of the last forest that grew on tho
swamp where the coal was produced Great britain an,
nuay consumes l00000OO0 uns of coal and we know OF
nothing that will supply its PLACE The consumption OF
coal ini America 10 already equal to the labor
hardly opened. All this power is extracted from he sun
"a Rf Se se to aHe
been no higher animals 70 enjoy tbem We know OF no
birds that lived among their branches We know OF
few insignificant reptiles that crawled beneath them,
but know OF nothing higher in that age. What
they created fOr For two great purposes First to pu
rfy the atmosphere that Il might be made suitable FOR
the higher animals that wero to live IN future geologic
perod and that very process purifying the atmosphere
was made the means OF laying those enormous
Of fossil fuel upon which 80 much Of our modern ciyza.
ton Is based See how grand are the economies OF
nature preparing far back in geologic periods before
existed for the existence or e present state OF the
arts in the world Next coal IN its value comes ironj
aud although wo are not dependent upon the coal
formation for iron for coal, sim wc get an I'M
ccumuated BY the agency OF these very plants for as
they went to decay aud were converted INTO coal nsy
helped TO gather together the particles OF IRON OUT oi ING
clays and sands and TO store them up fo US m Deas OF
iron ore Therefore we owe TO tAe groTta % @ USG @ oa
forests not only our coal but large p9rtoh V o I'LL
lApplause.l And whether We look 10 tue Nhitpe
OF the coal in boiling tho tea-kette, OF whleh
Prof siiiiman spoke TO you IN the lsL ice Icc c'u,et t
to the OF the iron which makes our iron Horse ahd
the stcamengine of factories 10 all to the
prmoYal plants or rather the Maker ana oreatGs Ti
these old plants Now let me trace these plants niue
yOnan, shall find different fora, which no doubt
eiea T e W. @G have pcG h 6d Of co
two three inches thick belonging to that epoch ana It
is the only know OF in America. In this drawing
some of the plants OF that period are repre-
Sented; ana mere Son nla ne hsaiIa 'N' eP, pn
the later period; so that yon see that the Deyohan
carbonferons period The species are mostly different;
but the generic forms the same. As whole tho
Deyoa fora NAV bo characterized as less massive and
In gIif
tOns not less beautiful, but less useful pefhaps
in the accumulation for ms OF vast stores Of fuel.
II we 20 down below the DevOLIan rocks into tho
Siluran, hnd few plants; but in tue lower Siu-
rian formation we hardly Ind any traces OF plants
Nearly All the rocks known % Of that age marno
rocks. Prof d. not hopeless OF the eozoe period
We nave yet found 10 plants there's but We nave
found carbon We have found plumb1gO; ana even IN
later formations tho remains OF plants nave sometimes
been converted into blackead. We have Immense guam
titles of graphite baCkead in tue cozOc strata occur
riugi beds, as much to resemble lne remains ol
plants. They may have been sea plants II they were
land plants may guess what they wcIe-anophytes
aud tIallophyes gigantic nossts ana ggahtlc lees, ii
We were 10 walk among those ancient loIcsto " oee'
they really did exist, We should be ID world some
thing like what THIS would appear 10 an nsec. cltep
ing upon the MOSES oi our WOODS nave sNeh gVu s
"A faint outline OF great SUBJECT on Nhleh Ith,iS
might be aud have been written when %9q "yIs tS
material for course OF lectures niOIo ro oIief
than single one can possibly be' Ihe c.iei .
hoftIist and eeSogist Tie vegetable kingdom
is most beautiful and most varied especially when We
climate ard every situation upon the earth, all Ol them
finding their proper place ana thelr own que se1son
times ard shows plan large 10 be realized on one
earth The plan of the Creator vast at the Whole
slrflce Of the earth not big enough 10 h0id H. III
required series O cafths, one aiicr the otei 10 Ge
ylop H. Just as mas required selies o asSs TX
the history Of the human race We nave IN these Ol1
plants something that adds enormously 10 the variety OF
the vegetable kingdom; something that shONs az now
small Is Knowledge and how great ana captble
OF extension IS the plan of the vegetable klsdom Ah1
when We consider further that We know oi ines Oss
plants only what their remnants nave taught as, II
affords "a widening field OF wonder ana OF thONkht As
inteTes ting 10 te DOiaIsf ~ 20 ont ana coett
plants fer himself than study them IN the eiasDOOk
so this subject OF the deepest interest 10 those VINO VIII
examine the pumeya fora ana the coal formations; VINO
will split open the rocks and the forms thdt no one
ever aw before and perhaps make discoveries or iacts
which the world never before concerning that re-
period Of time. must plead guy as i"ssli Vol
nst-I bOtanst studying fossils liauGhtcll 10
arises part from the very fact that different names
arc sometimes given TO the same plant-as
tho tree IS called sgillara, The root stigimara,
and the nut still another namc and it requires
much observation and study discover show that
different all belong 10 what really ono
aud the plant As our knowledge increases we may
be able TO dispense with many OF these old Dame wch
is more than be said for modern botany What
wOud have been without these Old plants, WITHOUT
this great provision made for Us IN primitive times before
man existed upon tho earth These pauts form paIt
OF the same plan 10 winch belong, and undoubtedly
that plan existed 40 the time tngso old paleo2Oc
plants grew. And now, may say, even In this Christ
time, gather around the hearth, although our
coal does not burn, aud. cacAlc anu DlaLo IKE
the old ycw lOg of our ancestors, yet the trunks
or old lgaria burning upon cur heartns tonight,
send forth uuict kindly look, betting tuCIr great ago
and long burial the earth And the hapIy hearts tns
gather around the Christmas hrosiGe may thank Goa t
tiues OF old and that have hearts and minds ntted 10
somewhat into that great plan which stored lgn
up, and ior the enjoyment in measure even OI lhe
beauty Of Tie plants mat lived 80 long aso lAlPauaeJ