Telegram-herald., 1889-12-30
r-s nosLe.s Fysa sugPlY.


a A. Esslua.lsa 3, = ssisstlss - y" As~as
So Fsiu4ea Tens
Tsnse 49, shea tie carbon sDa hydro
sea. ~Elea fer2 Pr2cs-raiiy the ee-s
= our su7ply q fuel an1 ths pFnci P3i
rar1 ef car food. wers iIoTganis-~ -
alsrs caEal1le q s4siaialng cemoastlaa
~ aaia-sl life " 80 exceps oeFl@-ln tll-
oFoSooqis fsFms shieh deo Pose car
tsulc aci1l tasn grsulte ~ sE.ls.
Ter vegetable lfe. however the sup
plv ol foes was zt lgs maximum Nege-
table hfs cane, generated ia soIne un-
known Nay ~ tbs solar energy which
poarsd through the atmosphere aud TIE
heat energy which penetrated eeafth >
crust fro4 8iIhia
Through tie unim2ginable ages OF the
carbonifefous period a gigSnEic nora fed
on tie rich sgm0spbese, sssimilatinZ rs
earhin ana hydrogen. ana thereby set
ting free It's oxygen. Until it could s1s-
tain is animal lrfe. az ATst ia the lowest,
then auccessigeiy IA tie higher forms
This Gigantic fora. with 10 enormous
poteuli>l energy OF chemical separation
from 0xygen-an energy derived chiefly
from the solar energy Of that period.
easily admitted and tenaciously retained
by the atmosphere-ls nov stored up IN
the earth as fuel for the future genera
tions of our race. Future. say, for tre-
mendous as the annual consumption of
coal. petroleum and natural gas for a
generation has been. We have as yet only
begun upon the great store. Hitherto
Mother Earth has beeh able TO supply
her childrcns needs by e1peEding only
her current income.
In this latter day. however, their de
mauds have multiplied 80 rapidly that
she has been obliged % draw upon the
capital stored up during the long ages of
Ter maidenhood. How long will thsA
tapi'al last al the terrible rate az which
sc have begun 10 squander 1t? Is her
sLildren's prodigality actually making
her poorer? or has she the power 10 null
lify the effects Of their cXtravaganceg
and arc her diminishing resources due
ONLY II the decreasing energy Of her
natural supporter and protector. the
SUM- However prodigal man may be- ia
his use Of earth's treasures. he can never
anuihilaie one atom % her substance OF
transport IL beyond her domain.
Ia his "wasteful" consumption 81 fuel
he is only restoring it, elements TO their
primeyal condition as constituents chief
Is Of the aerial and aqueous oceans which
surround our globe. IL follows, then,
hat the more rapid the combustion the
richer becomes the atmosphere in it's
power 10 sustain and forco vegetable
growth. If it were possible for that pc
nod 50 often predicted TO arrive, when
'he G.000. 600 .0O0, 900 tons, more or less,
Of fossil fuels now stored up in the earth's
coal bins shall have been consumed, the
atmosphere will simply have returned to
its primeyal condition-that which pre-
ccded the carboniferous period.
The only essential difference, there
fore, which will mark the two remote
seoiogic periods. the past and future.
win bc due 70 whatever reduction will
nave taken place in the suns energy.
But whether that condition is destined
ever to return To earth or not, one thing
is certain: II Will not be through human
,Estrumentality. Ages before its arrival
the percentage of carbonic acid in tn.
atmosphere will have passed through
the point possible 10 the continuance Of
human life. If not through human
AGENCY, then how is it 70 come? Ger
tainly not by any Of the processes now
in operation. The percentage of carbonic
acid in the atmosphere does not ma
tcrially vary.
This fact means simply that some
where on the earths surface vegetation
is taking up the enormous surplus Of
carbonic acid constantly pouring forth
from our millions of furnaces, and thus
restoring il to the form Of available fuel.
Tho weight that is constantly sinking is
.hus being constantly relifted by the
daily conversion of solar 10 vital energy.
only some stupendous CONFUSION OF ma
ture, like those dreamed Of by John Of
Patmos and Lord Byron, in which "the
elements shall melt with fervent heat,
can undo the work Of the carbouiferous
ages-some tremendous upheaval in
which the subterranean stores Of fuel
shall at once oe laid bare and given over
to the devouring oxygen. Then would
new cycle begin. another carboniferous
era. ia which the storehouses would be
again slowly filled for future generations
Of men. Again and again might the
cycle return, until the diminishing en-
ergy Of the sun should fail 10 uplift the
fallen weight, TO reorganize the inor-
gnnio E. L. Jackson IN North Ameri-
can Review.
Advice 20 Mothers.