IRRIGATION. 235 



but in some humble degree to imitate. Whenever man — 

 *' the faithful servant and interpreter of nature," has thus 

 learned the lessons propounded by an Infinite Mind, he finds, 

 when he humbly imitates nature's laws, she is a kind and 

 indulgent parent. She opens her hand liberally, and gives 

 fertility by irrigation, and rivers and streams like holy water 

 sprinkled by a reverend father, fructify all they bedew. 

 With hearts thus attuned, by the observation of the laws of 

 nature, they respond to the gentle vibrations caused by the 

 descent of genial and fertilizing showers. 



286. Rain is only natural irrigation ; the water is found, 

 like that of rivers, rich in oxygen, and organic matter. The 

 fertilizing power of rain is referred to the same causes which 

 lead to irrigation, to the salts and geine, which rain water 

 contains. Several chemists have proved the existence of 

 saline matters and organic substances in the air. The falling 

 rain carries down with it salts of ammonia, of soda, of lime, 

 atid organic matter. These all may be supposed floating in 

 the air. The dry soils give to the winds an impalpable dust, 

 its silicates and geine. When hailstones which have been 

 formed in the regions of perpetual frost, exhibit almost the 

 same substances which are contained in rain water, the 

 height at which these matters float, would almost compel the 

 supposition that they exist in a gaseous state. From the 

 examination of hailstones, by Girardin, a French chemist, it 

 appears, that no sensible trace of ammonia was detected 

 during the evaporation of their water, but there was found 

 a notable quantity of lime and sulphuric acid ; and, above 

 all, a large proportion of an organic substance containing 

 nitrogen. Melted hailstones have the appearance of water, 

 containing a drop or two of milk ; by standing, the water 

 grows clear, and the flocky matter which settles, burns with 

 the smell of animal matter, and evolves ammonia. 



