206 IRRIGATION. 



and geine, upon each other when aided by growing 

 plants, is considered, it cannot fail to be perceived, 

 that the fertility of soils, periodically overflowed by 

 turbid waters, is owing to the elements, salts and 

 geine which it contains, and to the exquisitely finely 

 divided state of the silicates which form the bulk of 

 the deposit. The carbonic acid of the air, acts on 

 each atom of silicate, while owing to the geine, hav- 

 ing been, as it were, irrigated, the oxygen of the air 

 and water, must put that into a state to evolve car- 

 bonic acid. Hence, the silicates are at once decom- 

 posed, and their alkali liberated. How beautiful ! 

 It seems like a special interposition of that Beneficent 

 Power, whose blessings, while they fill us with won- 

 dering admiration, at the infinite skill, which directs 

 every change in the material universe, should teach 

 us also, that these changes are held up to us, not 

 only to admire, but in some humble degree to imitate. 

 Whenever man, " the faithful servant and interpre- 

 ter of nature," has thus learned the lessons propoun- 

 ded 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 fer- 

 tility by irrigation, and rivers and streams like holy 

 water, sprinkled by a reverend father, fructify all they 

 bedew. With hearts thus attuned, by the observa- 



