Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1885-06-02
PreserYod SUNSHINE.

Light and life are inseparable, that ia,
such was che generally received opinion
many years ago, and in accordance with
IL. houses were built, literally supplied
with windows, and as literally now
but 90 along anv Of the fashionable
streets OF New York, and you will find
not less than three, and often six. dis
tinct contrivances to keep out the sun
shine and gladuess. First, the Venetian
shutter on the outside; second, the close
shutter on the inside; third, the blind
which is moved by rollers: then. fourth
ly, there are the lace curtains; nfth the
damask or other material. In the same
train come the exclusion of external AR
by means OF double sash, and varicsy
Of patent contrivances to keep any little
stray Whit of mir from entering at the
bottom, sides and tops of doors and
windows. At this rate, we will, in due
time, dwindlc into LilliPats, If indeed
we do not die off sooner, with alb
science and art. and leave the world TO
begin anew, from the few sons OF the
forest, who persisted in eschewing
civilization. We lay it down as
health axiom--the moro out
door air and CHEEKY sunshine man can
use, the longer he will live. Bot the
Preserved Sunshinel What about ttS
That very same sunshine which so law
ishly beamcd upon our continent with
all its tropical fervor in the earlier ages
of creation, what has become of ita A
casual reader Of the Journal will exclaim,
s'What fool OF question that isH'
Let us leisurcly inquire into Ii; but in
doing so we must take it for granted that
the reader knows something. In Central
America, where the sun shines with sEB
its brilliancy and iierCcness, vegetation is
of fabulous growth. of u luXuriance
almost incredible. But how does a tree
grow9 Without light no wood is made in
any vegetable growth; the woody fibre
is from carbonic acid gas being absorbed
by the leaves and through the bark on
any growth. But light separates the
two constituents which compose this
carbonic acid gas, carbon and oxygen,
aud two different uses are made OF it;
the oxygen is liberated, thrown out and
breathed by animals and men, while the
carbon or ''coal" goes TO form the woody
fibre of the plant, which presents . kind OF
ring, plainly seen in saving through y
tree, the number of rings Indicating the
are broader, some narrower, Indicating
most probably the more OF less sunshine
Of the year, FOR plant will not grow 40
much in q cold summer as in warm
one. In section of California tree, u
part Of which we have seen, more tlIam
two thousand such rings were counted,
showing that these trees must have lived
in the times of David and perhaps of
Abraham. In the earlier ages Of tho
world, some great flood or floods swept
over the immense growths of the warmer
chimes. which then, no doubt included
what is now called Ohio and PennsyI-
vania. In process of time. this growth
was covered with earth and stones, aud
eventually became ''coal. tho anthracite
and bituminous, with which we are so
familiar; and the very identical carbon
which the sunlightof ages ago separated
for the purpose Of vegetation, is now, by
its combination with its old associate
oxygen, returning to its original condi-
ton OF carbonic acid gas, and in making
that change by what we call burning"
warns our houses, lights up our streets,
and is preparing to grease our rail cars,
by the oil which it is capable OF yielding.
Halls journal Of Hath.