Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1879-11-22
Prof. Arhogast's Lecture.


There was a large attendance at the hall on
Monday night las; on the occasion Of the third
lecture Of the course under the auspices of the
Good remplars which, as announced. was de-
Gvsred by Professor b. Arbosasi, President Of
Wiley Female Seminary, Winchester. Va
After several performances by the Brass Band,
tue Lecturer was introduced in lew appro-
pliato sentences by Mr.. David Howell, who
announced the subject 20 be Water its forms
and its uses DR.. A. remarked a; the COM
m-ucement that whatever he might say he al
least could not be accused Of choosing dry
topic: AMI that as this earth on which We live
comprises an area Of about l97 900 600 square
miles. Of which three fOurihs, or $4,000. 900
is water his subject WAS 4 c)apreieasics one
lie Jill not expect by any means to exhaust 1t,
but would simply enlarge on some points he be-
lisved would prove instructive and interesting
q his aulieucs. Water, as was well known,
is composed Of the two gases, Oxygen and Hy-
drogen-combinel in the proportion Of two Of
Hydrogen 10 Que Of Oxygen in bulk, aud in
weight Of one 10 nine. THIS is easily demon
strited both by analysis and synthesis, aud be
went on 10 detail some simple experiments
WIKI a gun-barrel filed with filings Of iron or
copper, heated red hot, and a jet Of water forced
through 1.-THE Oxygen of the water COM
bining with the metal to form an Oxide, and
the Hydrogen burning with brilliant flame.
IL is a singular circumstance that, Of the two
gases composing water, the one IS 4 supporter
OF cosbus,i1u, while the other burns with a
brish, dlme 81 that if a small quantity Of
water is poured on a large FIRE it only adds to
the intensity Of the couaasration. Water IS
seen in some &C its most beautiful forms as
tie basis Of capitalization. Al the fine pre-
cous stones, so priced as ornaments aud n
commerce, owe their glstsnius sparkles to Wa
tiers presence To considering the influence Of
water upon vegetable life, be gave many very
useful as well as entertaining items Of iniorma-
ton, specially important to agriCulturists, but
o. great interest to all who heard. The sell, he
said, is largely composed Of water, and plants
and trees send down their tap roots al d
rootlets at the extreme end Of each Of which is
a minute opening or mouth" which sucks
up the water from the e und, and it rises as
sap through the vessels in the trunks Of trees
aod stems Of plants, aud is difused out to the
end Of each leaf which having absorbed the
necessary nutrition, give out the excess Of
+ oxygen, and in turn absorb carbouic gas from
the atmosphere. lie gave practical illustra-
ton Of the ABSORPTION Of the water from Il @
earth by plants. in showing frequent mistake
Of farmers planting wheat 10 the same ST ind
with clover d" in order to shade the clover -
whereas be proved thas the wheat draws The
moisture from The sill aud renders the clover
crop either a complete tailuTc @. very Inferior.
I Also he said gardeners are under the impress
/ sion that the shade Of large trees is injurious
to plants, Iut in reality j, is the roots Of tie
trees which, by using up al the moisture cf
ground, destroy the plauts An instance was
here cited Of a gentleman in Georgia in whose
I yard, JUS; beyond tie fence from the garden,
/ grew fIe large shade-tree lie believed tia,
The shade Of The tree was injurious to the
growth Of the plants, but at the instance Of a
FREUD tried tie experiment Of digging trench
Z the side Of the garden, and seyering the
+ roots which the tree had thrown cut, and
which were saPpiug out the moisture from the
I garden. The result was tina, in very short
I time the vegetables became thrifty aud -four
I ishiae, aud there was no more difficulty about
tie stale Of the tree interfering with their
growth lie related an instance which
occurred lat Suum,r, when. the garden
or having told him that he had 100000
cabbage plauts, he went to Lexington to
the 5 5. Convention, aud his hostess COM
planning Of tie scarcity Of cabbage plants, he
promised to send her as many as she needed
Ga his return home, lie went to tie garden
and found every plant dead On inquiry the
gardener toll him that lie had watsred and
nu-seI bis plants in yaiu--tbe season was dry
and they oil del, but the Truth of the matter
proved to be that ia order 10 shade his plants,
be bad sowed gsa,s seed arsuad them, aud the
grass Lad drunk up an the water aud left none
for the plants, 50 he lad zone for Mrs NJ or
himself either. After many intelligent re-
marks on this branch Of tie subject, he pro-
ccedcd to treat Of the effect Of water on the
human frame-its importance as a constituent
element Of the body, forming about so per
cent. Of the whole structure, and being the
fluid conductor or common carrier Of tie
functions Of the vital parts. 1t forms large
par, Of the lacteals, and, Mingled with the
blood, circula,es through the frame 1t forms
the foundation Of the lers Of the eye and as
years increase aud tue fluids diminish the
slang phrase drying Up not being map
propriately used with reference 10 the elderly
the sight grows feeble, owing TO the want Of
water under the reiina. Here be related the
case Of Hon. Ran. Tucker, who, when he yisi-
ted him at his home in Lexington, shovel him
the lens Of his eye preserved in alcohol, which,
+ by skilliul surgical operation had been re-
moved because Of the drying away Of the
aqueous humor, and the optieien had supplied