The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1870-02-23
5Miscfllanfons.
THE BEAUTIES OF THE CREATION,


By p. .. l..
The more attentivcly We consider the
face Of nature, the more deeply we pry
into its mysteries, aud make ourselves
acquainted with its secrets, the more do
We acknowledge the wisdom of the Gre.
ator, the more do We feel that "the hea-
vens declare the glory Of God, and the
Ornament showeth his handy work."
Every advance 10 science, every now
discovery in the structure and organ
izatiou Of the bodies that surrou.d US,
does but increase our admiration, and
con6rm our assurance that "the hand
that made them is divine"
The geologist investigates the crust
of the earth. He ovsorves the nature of
its strata,-the position, superiority of
such as arc porous a2d permeable deep
cr down, those that arc tenacious and
resisting. He recognizes in this arrange
mcnt the source Of "the rivers that run
among the hills" He observe that had
this order been reversed, the rain which
falls from heaven would have deluged
the surface of the earth without pene-
trating its bosom. and would 10 wild de-
vastatiug torrents have swept from its
face those fruits anI plants that 1t now
50 benc6cently nourishcs and evolves.
The chemist Analyses what were for
mcrly looked on as elementary substan-
ces. In the air he finds two gases, one
of which is by itself fatal to animal life,
while an undue proportion of the other
would change the air we breathe into
corrosive poison yet they are mixed in
such proportions az to fOrm the com
pound most suited to support that curious
vital phenomenon, respiration. And whe-
ther his compound be examined in the
depths Of the lowest mines or at tho
greatest heights to which men have as.
ccnded, the proportions of this combi-
nation are found to be unvaried. He
examines the earth, he considers their
use for the growthand support Of plants,
and he asks for himself what should
they consist Of for this purpose. Plants
he finds to contain oxygen, hydrogen,
carbon aud salts. The two former eau be
derived from the air that surrounds the
water which moistcns them for the
latter they are dependant on the soil in
which they are rooted. However various
tho composition Of this soil, it consists
essentially OF two parts. One is certain
quantity Of earthly matters, such as clay
lime, aud magncsia; tho ether is formed
frum the remains Of animal and vege.
table substances, which, when mixed
with the former, constitute common
M la hn nl.k:
through this mould dissolvcs the soluble
salts with which it comes in contact,
together with tho gaseous, extractivc,
and other matters formed by the dccom.
pusition of animal and vegetable re-
mains. Saturated with these nutritious
matters it is presented to the roots, by
them it is readily absorbed aud sent US
sap to the leaves, there, by exposure to
air, to undergo the final process Of
assimilation.
The botanist here steps in aud adds
his mite to that beautifully continuous
train of evidence, which like the golden
chain Of the poet, biuds together heaven
and earth. He observes the beautiful
adaptation of the plant to the soil in
which it is intended to grow. The
stately red mangrove springs in wet
and boggy sol which could scarcely sup.
port it erect against the first passing
breeze. But how wisely is this cared for {!
1t arises from several roots, each root
rising some feet above the earth before
it unitrs with its fellows to form the
trunk further, slender shoots about
three inches in circumference, quite
bare, and jninted, grow from the trunk
and branches in great abundance, then
descend into the earth, take root, and
thus afford support to the parent stem.
The cocoa, which is large tree of the
shores of the torrid zone, grows 10 pure
sand, which it intcrlaces with such
prodigious quantity Of fibres, as to form
around it solid mass 1t is on this
basis that it withstands the most furious
tempcsts 10 the midst Of moving
soil.
The constant supply Of moisture is
necessary to the life Of the plant; aud
when the thirsty soil fails to impart this
through The root, how beautiful is the
provision that enables the leaves to alb
sorb the aqueous vapor from the atmos-
pherc, and BY the faculty they possess of
radiating heat, so to reduce their
temperature during the night as to
cause the deposition on themselves of
"thc gentle dew from heaven"
Heat is essential tor evolving and ma
turing the delicate organs on which the
reproduction OF the plant depends The
organs ure situated in The centre of the
blossom, which, gathering the rays, re-
fleets them in on its tender chargc,-an
effect very much increased by its general
incnrved form But what cohrs are
most favorable to the reflection oil heat?
Science has shown that light colors
.cfect, whilo dark absorb. Bur although
this fact was SO long undiscovered by
science, how skilfully has il been taken
advantage of by Almighty Wisdom f!
Consider the lilies of the field" Is
not the dazzling whitencss of the snow
drop, the delicate tint Of the hyacinth,
the narcissus, and the early anemOne