94 CATALYSIS OF LIFE. 



tions, and then these combinations occur in obedi- 

 ence only to the well known, established, eternal laws 

 of chemical affinity. 



140. So too, the presence of a growing plant, of 

 the root, of a seed, where life is, impresses, on the 

 soil, both on the organic and inorganic elements, 

 power to enter into new arrangements. The soil, 

 then, is not external to the plants, so far as life is 

 concerned, it is as much internal as if the plant had 

 a mouth and stomach, through, and into which the 

 soil might be fed. 



141. Call this power life, electricity, galvanism, 

 or by any other name, still the great fact, that the 

 mere presence of a living, growing plant in soil, in 

 one year effects a greater amount of its decomposi- 

 tion, than all atmospheric influences, in many years, 

 is one of the very highest interest, in a practical 

 view. It is, perhaps, of more value than all the 

 other actions which have been considered. 



142. It is this decomposing action of living 

 plants, on the inorganic elements of soil, which af- 

 fords a reasonable explanation of the action of salts 

 in agriculture. The catalytic power of life dissoci- 

 ates the elements of salts. They enter into new 

 combinations. The base and the acid, are separa- 

 ted by the action of the living plant. 



