GARDENING AS A SCIENCE. 



453 



light with precision ; still, from the observa- 

 tion of natural phenomena, we may reasona- 

 bly conclude, that every material altera- 

 tion or change in their fluids is chemical ; 

 if chemical, it must be electrical; and if 

 electrical, we are inevitably led to the pri- 

 mary fountain of light. Thus all is har- 

 mony, and all referable tO'one great princi- 

 ple — the sun ! 



Electricity has been thus prominently al- 

 luded to as an agent of unsuspected, yet 

 wonderful power in vegetable organization 

 and growth. " All decompositions and new 

 combinations, all changes of condition, from 

 the solid to the liquid, from the liquid to the 

 gaseous, from this latter back again to the 

 liquid, and so forth, are invariably and ne- 

 cessarily attended with a disturbance of the 

 general electric repose." But the garden- 

 er starts in amazement, and exclaims, — 

 " What have I to do with electricity or 

 electric disturbances? " The question may 

 be fairly asked, because he sees nothing 

 which can convince the eye; but wfhen the 

 mind contemplates the fact, that every act 

 of friction and percussion induces a chemi- 

 cal action, however slight, which reveals a 

 corresponding quantity of electricity, then 

 the gardener will perceive, that in every 

 one of his operations by the spade, fork, 

 garden-trowel, — his mixing soils, manures, 

 composts, potting, re-dressing, or even stir- 

 ring the surface of his pots, — he disturbs 

 the condition of his ground, brings fresh 

 matters and substances into contact, and 

 thus promotes the decomposition of water, 

 and of hydro-carbonous materials, and pro- 

 duces an equivalent stream of electricity, 

 which conveys the nutritive, newly formed 

 fluids, into the absorbent vessels of the roots. 



The really intelligent man will not con- 

 demn what at first he may not fully under- 

 stand ; the rather will he desire to know 

 more, although, to him, the subject requires 

 the plainest elucidation. We would have 

 gardeners thinking men, something better 

 than mere diggers of the ground : 



" Strength may wield the ponderous spade. 



May turn the clod, and wheel the coraposl horae ; 

 But elegance, chief grace the garden shows, 

 And most attractive, is the fair result of thought.^' 



The horticulturist should know that eve- 

 ry portion of soil contains decomposable sub- 

 stances, which contain the elements of v:a- 

 ter, (oxygen and hydrogen,) in the propor- 

 tions to form water, united with a determi- 

 nate quantity of carbon, (the base of char- 

 coal.) These elements are held together 

 by definite quantities of the electric princi- 

 ple, the source of which is the sun. In 

 culture, this electricity becomes disturbed, 

 and the particles deranged ; they change 

 their position, and become re-united under 

 various solid, liquid, and gaseous forms, — 

 all and each again combined with appro- 

 priate, equivalent proportions of the all per- 

 vading ethereal fluid. We may not, cer- 

 tainly, be able to ascertain minutioe, or even 

 to acquire the credence of doubters ; but 

 certain it is — so much has been demon- 

 strated by experiment — that there can be 

 no hesitation to challenge the whole world 

 of antagonists to disprove it, or afibrd a ra- 

 tional ground for disbelief. The light has 

 dawned upon our ignorance, and darkness 

 is giving place to the luminous facts which 

 are revealed. The " royal road of scienti- 

 fic discovery" is before all who will travel 

 it ; and he is but a laggard who fears to 

 take the journey. Wm. W. Valk. 



Flushing, L. I., Jan. 7, 184S. 



