GEINE. 61 



presence of nitrogen, in crenic and apocrenic acid, 

 proves unanswerably, that the geine of chemists, 

 cannot be composed of a mixture of these acids. 

 They may not be made members of the class to 

 which that element belongs, except by a change of 

 chemical constitution. The question whether this 

 ever occurs, though philosophically interesting, is of 

 no practical consequence. Nor is it of practical 

 utility to discuss the question, whether plants draw 

 their carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, from the 

 air, or from the soil. The nourishment drawn from 

 air, depends on the great physical elements, air, 

 temperature, moisture. Agriculture may not con- 

 trol these. It can palliate them, only by control- 

 ling that within its power, the state of the soil. 

 With all above ground, the farmer has little concern. 

 If plants are nourished, chiefly from the air, it is ev- 

 ident that the farmer, is concerned only to produce 

 that state of the developement of the organs of 

 plants, best adapted to the aspiration of the aerial 

 elements. This state is influenced chiefly by the 

 soil. There is the farmer's true field of action. 



104. Differ as opinions may, about its ultimate 

 chemical constitution, and the mode of action of 

 geine, whether by being taken up as a solution of 

 geine and geates, or only as a source of carbonic 



