Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-04-15

tlced that the amounts OF phosphorlc acid
and potash are comparatively smaller than
those extracted by grains. In the case OF
carrots, then, out Of crop of ), 900 pounds
425 pounds only are obtained directly from
the soil, and the remaining 4,575 pounds
must have been derived from the atmos-
phere. The average of thirty-one analyses
of potatoes gave g. "a pounds of ash from
100 pounds of potatoes, This was COM
posed principally of potash and phosphorlc
acid, Of which there were 50 and IL.
per cent, respectively, in the ash; that is,
in 100 pounds of potatoes there were l25
pounds of potash, and ~ OF pound OF
phosphoric acid. II an acre yields ten
tons of potatoes, such crop would extract
about $50 pounds of the ash Ingredients,
of which go pounds would be potash and
| II. ) phosphoric acid In this case l9. go
| pounds of the matter of the potatoes
were taken from the atmosphere,
while the soil was only drawn
upon for $50 pounds. think these
statements, with the result of the analyses
of one more class of agricultural products,
will have made it apparent that we are
much more dependent on the atmosphere
for the matter constituting our agricultural
products than one would imagine. Seven
analyses of lucern or alfalfa gave an aver
age of ia pounds of ash to each 100
pounds of hay. One ton of hay would
therefore contain l42 S pounds of ash in
gradients OF this, As per cent. is lime,
% per cent is potash and So per cent.
is phosphoric acid. Or, one ton of alfalfa
hay contains about 6S.5 pounds of lime,
SO of potash and II of phosphoric acid.
With every ton of such hay about l43
pounds of nutritive matter is removed
from the soil, and 1857 pounds must have
been derived from the atmospheric air.
Inasmuch as the results of these, as well
as those of all other analyses, depended
largely upon the physical conditions of the
bodies analysed, and as it is impossible to
always control all of these conditions, it is
not to be claimed that these results would
correspond exactly with these of any
other analyses which might be made, but
they are as nearly correct as it is possible
to expect them to be. They were pre-
sented in order to enable the reader to
get at
THE GENERAL FACTS
In relation to the relative amounts OF mat
ter contributed to plants by the soil and
air respectively. That the general conclu-
sions derived from them are correct, there
can be no dou6t We have not attempted
to consider the ash ingredients, except only
so far as they enabled us to get at their
relative amounts, and as opposed to the
relation existing between them and the
productiveness and properties of the soil.
| Having shown that the atmosphere does
contribute the larger part of plant food,
we will consider somewhat in detail the
relation of its constituents to vegetation.
Chemically the atmosphere is made up of
the two elementary gases-oxygen and
nitrogen-in the proportion by weight Of
% II of oxygen and 1888 of nitrogen, or
20 50 parts by volume of oxygen to 1895
parts of nitrogen. 1t is generally held
that the air is only a mechanical mixture,
and this view, it must be admitted, seems
the most reasonable But of late years
mated that they deemed it very probable
that the air was something more than a
mechanical mixture. They claim that if
the two gases be mixed in the proportions
| given above, their combined volumes
will be slightly less than the sum of the
volumes of the same quantities OF sepa-
rate gases. Also, that were the air not
chemical mixture the lack OF homoegenity
would cause US to hear more than one
sound from every source OF sound. That
is, owing to the different densltles OF the
gases OF which air is made up, the sound
would travel with two different rates
of velocity, and hence reach the ear as two
distinct impressions. This can be illus
trated by immersing one ear under water,
! then having some one to make noise at
some little distance away and on or near
the surface of the water. The sound waves,
owing TO the greater density of the water,
would be transmitted through it with an
increased velocity, and would therefore
reach the listeners ear perceptibly sooner
than those which are transmitted through
the atmospheric medium. By this means
| two distinct sounds are heard which ema-
mated from the same source, at precisely
| the same point and at exactly the same in
slant of time. The same phenomenon may
| be noticed if one places his ear at one end
! of a long stick Of timber The stroke of a
! hammer on the other end will be heard
| twice by the listener first by sound waves
transmitted through the denser medium,
the wood, and second, by those transmit
! ted through the air. These facts seem to
afford very plausible reasons for question
| ing the mechanical mixture theory, but it
is not for any except enlightened scientists
to presume to attempt to overthrow that
generally accepted theory. In saying that
the air is composed OF oxygen and nitrogen
| it must not be understood that they are the
only constituents of the atmospheric medi-
um. Such is by no means the case, but
they are the essential Ingredients of air, as
such.
THE ATMOSPHERIC AIR
Is the general absorbent, if we may so
term it, of many and large quantities of
gaseous substances. In fact, any substance
which has the property of vaporization is
capable of being absorbed by the atmos-
phere. For instance, water, carbonic acid,
ammonia, etc, all may be found in and
are invariably constituents of the atmos-
phere, in gaseous and sometimes, particu
| larly in case of the first, even liquid modi-
! fcatious. But these absorbed bodies are
really only extraneous matter in the air,
! Just as the water absorbed by sponge is
no constituent part of the sponge, and may
be readily driven out of it by purely me-
chanical means. 1t is this absorbent
power, by which means the nutritive mat
tiers needed by plants are retained in
vaporous condition in the atmosphere until
washed out by falling rains or appropriated
by the foliage of trees, that renders the at
mospheric air capable of supplying go much
plant food to the vegetable kingdom. 1t
acts as convenient reservoir for the stor-
ing of the excess of the gaseous products of
oxidation or combustion, which are going
on continually in every part OF the animal
and vegetable kingdoms, thus retaining
them for the future use OF plants, and for
the maintenance of animal life. The other
substances which exist in the atmosphere
are water vapor, carbonic acid, ammonia,
ozone, nitric and nitrous acids, marsh gas,
and in the vicinity of cities very variable
amounts of carbonic oxide, sulphurous and
sulphydric acids. We shall consider sep
arately and successfully the relation of
these different substances to vegetable nu-
triton.
OXYGEN.
The physical and chemical properties OF
oxygen were described at length in the
first part of this series, so that it is not
necessary to repeat them. The principal
characteristic, however, is its great chem