Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-03-31
For the VERMONT FARMER.
The Air we Breathe,

All breathe the air, but how few compar.
atively stop to inquire what are the laws by
which it is governed. All know that the
earth is surrounded by an atmosphere, and
that it has many and important uses, but
few realize how indispensable it is for their
comfort and even for their existence.
We have thought that an occasional IA
miliar chat with our readers upon such ia
miliar facts connected with our everyday life,
may not be embarrassing or Improbable
The air we breathe is a chemical com.
pound made up Of four elements, oxygen,
nitrogen, carbonc acid and watery vapor.
The first two are much the most abundant !;
the last two are present only in small guam
titles. Now IL is a singular and interesting
fact that these elements, which combined in
the natural way and in pure state, sustain
the life aud promote the growth of animals
and plants, when separated, will destroy that
life. Pure oxygen is gas in which the can
die burns with great brilliancy and rapidity,
and in which the man is thrown into such n
fever Of excitement that he lives but short
time. Nitrogen gas does not support COM
bustion aud will not sustain life. Carbonic
acid alone is a deadly poison And watery
vapor, either in large or small quantities
does not serve the purposes of life, and yet
these four elements in their combination, are
necessary to the daily wants of the ami
NAL and vegetable world. The carboniC
acid and watery vapor compose so small a
part Of the air, that we arc accustomed to
speak of the atmosphere as made up Of oxy.
gen and nitrogen, 81 parts of the former and
10 parts of the latter. Now, it is az inter
esting fact that no other combination of these
elements would answer the purposes of life
When air is breathed its oxygen is, by a
chemical process, separated from the othel
elements, and unites with the blood, aud \
the same air is taken into the lungs severa
times, the unnatural mixture which is ex
hailed becomes very poisonous and unsafe
Hence the necessity of ventilation in living
rooms, and in halls where congregations as
semble, that new supply of fresh air may
be constantly furnished.
1t is an important and interesting fac
that the atmosphere has the power of self
renovation when allowed to circulate freely
Hence we have no excuse for allowing our
selves or our children to breathe impure all
at home, at school, or in the church or lee
ture room. If we do thus poison our family
we are as really guilty as we should be Il
infuse into their veins corrosive sublimat,
When we are surrounded by free, pure air
City miles deep, it is fearful crime to shu
it out from our dwellings, or to allow Our
selves to breathe the poisonous compoun'
created by constant use.
But trees as we'll as men breathe the a
mosphere, and would die without it. Her
we are lead to notice wonderful manifesto
ton of wisdom and skill in the Divine ecor
omy. The vegetable world lives upon d
ferent element Of the atmosphere. 1t al
serbs the carbon, while the animal absort
oxygen. Hence these two Kingdoms mutt
ally provide each other with the supply {
life-giviug power. In the process OF brsatl
ing man throws off carbonic acid from h
lungs, and the trees by which he is surrount
ed drink it in as their natural food and Q
the same time the trees throw off oxygc
which aids directly in giving life and energ
5 to man. This process of inhaling and exha
ing of plants is confined to daylight, an
hence we infer that plants are healthful
t our living rooms, and may be harmless
our sleeping rooms. The air we breathe
0 equally important for the health and grow
. of our crops, and the wise farmer cultivat
D and drains with view Of admitting FIR
o circulation to the roots as well as the bad
VERITAs.