Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1884-09-27
Sunshine on the Farm.

As we look out upon our farms, let
us call up before us the working forces
which are building up the plant struct-
ures in our fields. If the day is one in
midsummer, when the sun shines
brightly, and the moisture exhales
from the odorous soil, we cannot avoid
feeling of exultation and wonder as
we gaze around us, so active and ener-
getic are the forces which are at work
in building up cell upon cell in the
grain and grass plants. On such a day
[ have frequently turned my ear to lis,
ten, expecting to hear, and even im>
agining | could hear, the hum of the
busy workers as their gigantic labors
90 forward. Consider the fact that
hundreds of tons of water are lifted by
millions of little pumps in the cellular
tissues of the great trees in yonder for.
est think of what is going on in that
cornfeld which stretches away to the
meadow.
So constant and unceasing is the
work going on under the influence of
solar light, that each individual cell re-
sembles hive of bees in the height Of
the honey harvest. Each molecule Of
rich material needed to build up and
perfect the several parts-whether it
be the leaf, the blossom, the shining
silk or the kernel itself-fnds its ap.
propriate place, and no mistakes are
made. The water which holds in solu
ton the mineral constituents, potash,
phosphoric acid, lime, and SILICA, i;
started on its rounds by the greedy ap
petite of the spongioles springing from
the roots; and the volume which il
lifted and exhaled is immense. AL
nature seems intent upon constructing
and developing. There is intense &C
tivity in the air as we'll as in the soil
and behind this press and hurry thert
must be some producing cause, Som'
force or forces which carry forward
and sustain this mighty work. w
have not far to go to find it. 1t is tn
Sunshine which falls so noiselessly ant
copiously upon the glowing fields. Th
earth is not the source and possessor 0
its own life forces. The high powe
which gathers dead matter into liYin
structures, and calls into existence al
the beauties and glories of the earth,
not of our world. 1t comes from tn
great central body of our planetary sys
TEN, the sun.
Do we clearly enough comprehen
the fact that in the sunlight which
shed upon our farms we find the sourc
of every form of force or energy ths
comes under observation? Let l
briefly consider this most interestin
subject; and to render lucid the dii
cussion, will present few interrogs
tories. What relation does sunligt
sustain to the work performed by OF
oxen and horses, or by ourselves in OIL
daily labor? Work, labor Of any kline
is the manifestation of energy, and
depends upon chemical action, upo
the oxidation of substances in the bod
of man or animal. In the stomach al
placed certain substances which are CT
pable of being burned or oxidized
they are called foods. Organized sui
stances-like corn, wheat, potatoe
etc.-are made of dead, inorganic mi
terials by the force of solar light an
heat acting upon the soil and air. Oh
of the dead materials in our soils, ar
out of the carbonic acid in the air, Ii
ing plants are produced by the sol
rays. Dead material is like a watcl
spring run down, so that the machinel
stops. Sunlight winds up the cole
spring by forcing molecules to combiI
so as to form vitalized structures AN
when the substance of the structure
consumed as food, the force of Il
spring is expended, and is manifesto
in muscular labor. 1t is seen, the
that it is sunshine upon our fields tn
supplies the muscular forces of our ar
mails and ourselves, and that from !
other source is it derived. The co
tents of our barns, granaries, and CT
lars, are in a proper sense but store