Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1873-07-14

I THE LEAF AS A WoRKER.-Dr. j. A
Sewall Of Normal, Illinois, contributes to The
"Ame'ican Entomologist and Botanist," st
Louis, a paper on "rhe Leaf as a Worker,
from which we extract the following:
snow, what does it do2 II pumps watel
from the ground, through the thousands o.
| tubes i'll the stem of the tree ithe tubes which
itself had made,) and sends 1t into the aimos
| phere in the form of unseen mist to be con
! densed and fall in showers. The very water
that, were it not for the leaf, would sink into
the earth iindnyits way perhaps throiigh subter
ranean channels into tho sea- Aud thus 1t /:
that we see 1t work to give us she early and
the latter rain. 1t works TO send the rls and
streams, like lines Of silver, adown the noun
tain and across the plain. 1t works 10 poul
down the larger brooks which turn the wheel
that energies machinery--which gives employ
ment TO millions. And thus a thousand wants
are supplied, commerce stimulated, wealth ac.
cumulateda and intelligence disseminated through
the agency of this wealth. The leaf does il
all.
at has been demonstrated that every square
inch OF leaf lifts three i've lundredths of all
ounce every twenty-four hours. Now, large
forest tree has about iivA acres Of foliage: 0272,
olO square inches. This being multiplied by
three tive hundredths Qhe amount pumped by
every inch) gives us the result 1852 ounces,
or ], ,l76 quarts or 294 gallons, or s barrels. A
medium sized forest tree gives about 5 barrels
The trees on an acre give 500 barrels in twenty
iour hours. An acre of grass, Or clover, or
grain, would yield about the same result.
"The leaf is worker, too, in another field of
labor, where we seldom look, where it exhibits
its NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. it works for the good
OF man in most wonderful manner 1t carries
immense quantities of electricity from the earth
to the clouds and from the clouds to the earth.
Rather dangerous business transporting light
ming
"Did you ever see a leaf entire as TO its edges?
IL Is always pointed, and these points, whether
they be large or small, are just fitted to handle
that dangerous agent. These tiny fingers seize
upon anu carry it away with wonderful dispatch.
There must be 10 delay; it is slime freight
True, some lines 1t gathers up more than the
trunk can carry, and in the attempt to crowd
and pack the baggage the trunk gets terribly
shattered, and We say that lightning struck the
tree. But IL had been struck a thousand times
before. This time 1t was overworked.
"As we rub a stick of sealing-wax or a glass
tube with warm silk handkerchief, so the air
is always rubbing over the face of the eorth
with greater or less rapidity. And what huge
electrical machine! But be not afraid the leaf
will see that it is taken care Of As we guard
our roofs from the destructive action of light
ning-dashing TO the embarrassing, rend-
ing, burning on its way by erecting the light
ming rod, whose bristling points quietly drain
the clouds, or, failing to do this, receive the
charge and bear it harmless TO the earth-so
God has made living conductor in every
pointed leaf, in every blade Of grass. 1t is said
that common blade of grass, pointed BY ma
lures exquisite workmanship, is three times as
eilectual US the finest cambric needle and
single twig Of leaves is far more efficient than
the metallic points Of the best constructed rod.
What, then, must be the agency Of single for
est in disarming the forces of the storm Of their
terror? Nature furnishes the lightning, and it
furnishes The lightning rods. Take hint, then,
and plant trees"