The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1890-03-12
SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL.
THINGS WORTH KNOWING.

THINGS WORTH KNOWING.
Jeff Wellborn Reviews Some of the Things
He Learned in 1880.
In reviewing what l have gained in
point of agricultural knowledge during
1889, feel like shouting, "Hurrah for
Dixie" lean see nothing but the dawn
ing OF the greatest boom that has ever
been known in agriculture. Although
1.-THE scales" are fast falling from our
| eyes, our minds had become SO be-
numbed or led astray by manifold Jack
Q,anters' that it is hard for us to realize
what science and nature yoked together
can accomplish. Things have been
brought to light that have hitherto
been wrapped in mystery! Aye even
things considered s:unknowable" for all
time past.
What is it we have learned that is so
important?
We have learned how to gather nitro
gen, the costliest of all fertilizers-and
carbonic acid gas, the combustible part
OF plant life-both gases of the atmos-
phere. Nitrogen, as we all known, is 70
per cent. of the atmosphere along the
earth's surface and always greatest in
low places, and when the atmosphere
becomes cold sinks into the soil. 1t is
many times greater nearer the Gulf of
Mexico than it is near the Northern
lakes, although large quantities are car
ried from the South to these Northern
climates, during the summer when it is
| too warm to condense it, and blows
steady from the equator northward. AS
all vapor is caused by the heat of the
sun, it must by necessity be condensed
by the opposite element-cold. While
in vapor it floats upon the
winds; when condensed it must
sink to the earth where it is
swallowed up, and plant life gathers
it up (where nature has not been inter-
fered with by man), distils from it its
plant food and returns it to the atmos-
phere, through the pores of the leaves,
pure air. Thus the two gases, nitrogen
and carbon, the great enemies of animal
life when they are in excess as they are
at the South, and especially in low
lands, are converted into animal food,
and the air made pure by their absence.
These two gases, although different,
emanate from the same causes. Car
bonic acid gas is heavier, and in large
quantities more fatal to animal life,
yet if possible. it is more essential to
plant life.
1t has been known for many years
that nine-tenths of all vegetable life is
formed from these two grasses. Science
worked at the wrong end of the plants,
and therefore it seemed impossible to
handle these two gases. They could not be
caught and held to the leaves until the
plants absorbed them through the pores,
which serve the function also of Kidding
the plants of all excuses of air or gas.
How can the leaves take in these gases
while inviting others, for the plant can
not evaporate or throw off these gases
except when the surrounding atmos-
phere is warm enough to evaporate the
plant food in the air? When the plant
is throwing off in greatest profusion the
atmosphere is fullest of these gases.
Can we exhale and inhale air at the
same time? If we can, then the plant
gathers this ''nine-tenths" of its food
from the atmosphere through its leaves;
otherwise not.
Yes, we know nine.tenths of all the
plant-food taken into plant life is gath
cred from the air, for we know that all
except the potash and phosphates (ashes
and lime) pass back into the atmosphere
when vegetable matter is burned or rots.
If it did not come from the air, it could
not return to air; besides If it was taken
from the soil and turned to nothing we
would soon burn up the earth. We see
that the earth does not diminish in the
least; we see high places washed down
into low places, but while the high
places are being lowered the low places
are being elevated; SO nothing can be
wasted; it only changes forms or locali-
ties.
The carbonic acid gas and nitrogen
turned loose by burning brush heap
floats in the air until condensed by cold
air, then it is driven back down into the
soil to grow more brush; il the weather
is warm it is not likely to settle in the
vicinity of the burned brush heap. but
the wind will carry 1t in whatever direc-
ton it is blowing, although it must
eventually (when cooled), come back to
the earth.
Every reader knows that for several
years past l have only claimed to be
child OF nature; that have never stud
led chemistry, botany or geology; that
1 had no idea of what nitrogen, carbon,
potash or the phosphates were; / knew
the soil was dirt: | knew plants grew
out of this dirt; ! knew that all the food
the plant got came out of this dirt; l
knew that rich dirt was made by the
decaying Of vegetable matter; knew
that vegetable matter could not decay
without heat, moisture and air.
BY watching I found that when the
soil was too loose to hold water the
plant roots ran very deep; when the soil
was compact or full Of water they come
to the surface. / found that If the air
was shut off from the roots by excess OF
water or packed soils the plant died.
From these observations concluded
that plants could not feed below where
the air could not enter the soil. / also
concluded that ii a plant would give way
where even the air was cut off from the
roots, it could not take in much nourish-
ment from the leaves. also observed
that board lying on the highest
ridge, as soon as it rained SO as to cement