1 62 From Matter to Man. 



material or elements similar to itself. But what is 

 the soil ? 



The soil forms the surface-covering of the earth. But 

 the earth itself is a magnet. Not only so, but according 

 to our definition of life it is a living magnet. It con- 

 tains huge internal fires in which magnetic materials 

 are continually dissolving, thereby generating vast 

 magnetic forces or vitality, which find sudden vent in 

 volcanoes and earthquakes, as well as an imperceptible 

 outlet over its entire surface. These huge internal 

 fires are virtually the earth's magnetic battery, through 

 which it is kept in life as a living planet tenanted with 

 vegetal and animal life ; hence, when all conditions are 

 suitable, and the soil is properly saturated with water, 

 thereby inducing suitable chemical action, the internal 

 magnetic forces throw up a clotted vegetation on 

 every available spot of ground on the globe. This 

 vegetation is but a bristling beard of earthly material 

 ejected by the earth's magnetism ; filaments of matter, 

 having the same relation to the earth as a man's 

 beard to his chin, or as the bristling iron filings on a 

 horse-shoe magnet. Strange and startling as this 

 revelation is, no other interpretation is available. 



By every plant thus growing on or in a magnetic 

 battery, a battery becomes an absolute essential to 

 vegetal growth. But this battery need not always be 

 the earth, for, by means of flower-pots into which 

 suitable moist soil is placed, we can construct artificial 

 plant-batteries, so that not only may plants be grown 

 in them as well as in the earth, but by enabling us to 



