174 



THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



the carbonates in the greater quantity, the nitrates in 

 less quantity, and the phosphates least. The quantity 

 of any salt which may be used to advantage, however, 

 will depend upon the demands or necessity of the plant 

 which will show for itself the salt proper for its well 

 being and perfection. 



To still further simplify the idea of the use and 

 operation of these salts and their necessity, it will 

 be well for the reader to again imagine a similarity 

 between the plant and an animal. The stomach of the 

 animal secretes, or produces, gastric juice and other 

 acids which come from practically similar salts, by the 

 action of which the organic matter the meat and veg- 

 etables put into the stomach, are digested and distrib- 

 uted to nourish every part of the body. If there were 

 no gastric juice, or other acids formed from the salts 

 of the body, the organic matter put into the stomach 

 could never become food, and the body, left without 

 nourishment, would starve and die. 



So it is substantially with plants. The main dif- 

 ference being that the plant has no stomach within 

 itself, but it requires food just the same as the animal, 

 and if it does not receive it, it starves and dies. By the 

 active principle of life in the plant as in the amma-1, 

 the salts of the soil are brought into the presence of 

 each other to form acids which act upon the organic 

 matter in the soil, or the humus, in very much the 

 same manner as the gastric juice and other acids of the 

 animal stomach, convert it into prepared food, so to 

 speak, and the plant absorbs it, is nourished by it and 

 grows to maturity. 



SILICATES AS ESSENTIAL TO FERTILITY. 



There is one important prevailing element in all 

 soil which' can neither be overlooked nor ignored, in 

 fact, its power of fertility is unlimited ; we refer to the 

 silicates. Salts are spoken of as the inorganic sub- 

 stances acting upon humus or organic matter to pro- 

 duce nourishing foods that can be absorbed by the 

 plant, but behind these salts, there is another sub- 

 stance which really constitutes the framework of the 

 plant structure, the bony framework of the plant, the 

 sinew of the soil. 



Silex, or silica, which is the earth of flints, is, in 

 its pure state, a perfectly white, insipid, tasteless 

 powder. Glass pulverized is an illustration, so also is a 

 sand heap. But earth of flints, sand heaps, are barren 

 and worthless, as much so as a peat bog, but put the 

 two together, and there is astonishing fertility. This 

 silica unites readily with the mineral substances or 

 bases, forming what are called "neutral salts," to which 

 is given the name "silicates." Thus we have the silicate 

 of soda, of potash, of lime, of magnesia, of alumina, of 

 iron and of manganese, a class which forms the great 

 bulk of all rock and soil. 



The action of the silicates is simple and easily un- 

 derstood. When humus, or decomposed organic matter 

 manure for instance is mixed with silica, that is 

 added to a common sand heap, there is an immediate 

 decomposition of the silicate of potash, which we have 

 said is a neutral salt, and it becomes an active salt of 

 potash which dissolves the humus, or organic matter 

 and fits it for plant food. So the same process goes on 

 with the other silicates as the various plants growing 

 in the soil may demand for their nourishment. They are 

 converted into active salts, which are capable of dis- 

 solving organic matter, whereas, as neutral, inactive 

 salts or silicates, they are powerless to act. 



Were it not for these silicates, the various active 

 salts and acids would lose their virtue, but as it hap- 

 pens, the silicates hold them in a firm grip, intact, un- 

 til the action of plant life demanding food, sets them 

 free to aid in preparing plant food. 



The base^ or fixed element of the earth called silex, 

 or silica keep in mind a sand heap and it will be easy 

 to remember is "siliconj." It is pure rock crystal, 

 common quartz, agate, calcedony and cornelian. All 

 these are silicon acidified by oxygen, and hence called 

 silicic acid. It is this which forms, with potash, the 

 hard coat of the polishing rush, the outer covering of 

 the stalks of grasses. It is the stiff backbone of corn- 

 stalks which stand sturdily against the blast. Wheat, 

 rye, oats, barley, owe their support to this silica, and 

 where grain is said to "lodge" during a heavy storm, the 

 trouble may be traced to a deficiency of silica in the soil. 

 It, cases the bamboo and the rattan with an armor of 

 flint so hard that from it sparks may be struck. Enter- 

 ing into the composition of all soil, and hard and un- 

 yielding as it appears, forming not only the solid rock, 

 but the delicate flower, combining with the metals of 

 soil whose gradual decomposition is the birth of fer- 

 tility, silica, or the sand heap, may well be likened to 

 the bony structure or framework of the animal. 



The next chapter on particular soils will give more 

 in detail, the component elements which enter into their 

 composition, and present a series of tabulated analyses 

 showing proportions favorable to the growth of various 

 products. 



No sweeter voice was ever raised 



To greet the dawn of day; 

 The joyous spring birds Lord be praised 



Are with us now to stay. 



One dollar and fifty cents will secure for you one year's subscrip- 

 tion to THE IRRIGATION AGE and a finely bound volume of the 

 Primer of Irrigation which will be sent postpaid in a few months, 

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PUSSY WILLOW. 



Prithee, pretty pussy-willow, 



Tell me truly what you dream 

 In the springtime sunlight mellow, 



As you nod above the stream. 



Are you dreaming in your swaying 

 O'er the torrent surging high, 



Of the gentler waters straying 

 'Neath a laughing, summer sky? 



Of the music of the meadows 



When the clover calls the bees; 

 Of the silence of the shadows 



Up among the forest trees? 



Are you dreaming, softly dreaming, 



Of the nights when lovers sail 

 Thro' the glamour and the gleaming 



Where your fairy fingers trail? 



Pussy-willows, dreams are fleeting 



As the fancies of the day. 

 Tho' your heart may be entreating 



All their luxury to stay. 

 Yet the dreamer, nothing daunted, 



Points toward (he dearer view 

 Till the dreams his soul have haunted 



Come to make his summer true. 



GEORGE E. BOWEN. 



