i3outl)s' Hfpartnunt. 



AGKICDLTCTRE. - No. 2. 



I.N our last imniber we endeavored to give some 

 iiiiL'rniation to the youth, on the nature of crops. 

 We Mattd that all vegetable substance.s consisted of 

 Iwo parlf, one callc.l the org.inic and the other the 

 iNOBG.^N'ic — the orgnnic part being that which is 

 huinc'l uuay when any vegetable substance, .such as 

 VkuoA or straw, is set on fire ; the inorganic part being 

 tliat which reiniiins (the ash) after the wood or .=traw 

 is burned. The oiiGANic part, (or that part which 

 is burned away,) we also told you was coni posed of 

 carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen ; and we 

 hhall now try to give you some idea of the inorganic. 

 But you must not think, because we spoke of the 

 organic part as being bvrned away, that it is 

 de.slroyed. We can destroy nothing. We cannot 

 destroy a stick of wood or a corn stalk. We may 

 change its form — we may, indeed, cause the greater 

 part to vanish out of our sight ; but it is not lost, and 

 is restored again to the earth. That omnipotent 

 power that formed the first blade of grass, is alone 

 able to destroy it. 



The inorganic part of plants consists of potash, 

 lime, lungncsia, soda, oxide of iron, oxide of man- 

 ganese, sulphuric acid, or oil of vitriol, phosphoric 

 arid, silica, and chlorine. 



I'oiask is a v.hite powder, and is obtained by wash- 

 iny wood ashes and afterwards boiling the liquid to 

 dryness. It is an alkali, with a hot, acrid taste, 

 having the power of neutralizing, or destroying acids. 

 Those boys who have eaten hot biscuits and hap- 

 peT;ed to get a lump of saleratus in their mouths, 

 know something of the taste of an alkali. When 

 strong, it attacks all organic matter, dissolving and 

 disorganizing them, and forms a compound with fat, 

 called soap. It is to procure the potash that the 

 farmer's wife washes or leaches ashes to make soft- 

 son p. 



Lime, the appearance of which all are acquainted 

 with, is obtained by burning common lime-stone. It 

 has a strong tendency to combine with water. This 

 you can see by pouring water upon it, which it 

 I agerly drinks up and becomes slaked. 



Magnesia is a white powder, and is called in the 

 drug-stores, calcined magnesia. It is a tasteless, 

 earthy matter, and is found in some parts of the world 

 forming rocky masses and veins. It is obtained 

 chieily from niagnesian lime-stone and from sea water. 



Soda is manufactured from sea-salt. It is a chrys- 

 talized substance, but becomes dry and powdery on 

 being exposed to the air. 



Oxide of Iron is iron-rust. When iron is exposed 

 to the air, it becomes covered with rust This is 

 caused by the iron attracting oxygen gas from the 

 atmosphere, and this is the reason it is called oxide 

 of iron. 



Oxide of Manganese has the appearance of iron- 

 ru.st, and is found in plants only in small quantities. 



Sulphuric acid, or oil of vitriol, is a very sour, 

 burning liquid. A piece of .straw put into it will be 

 found to be burned black. It is made by burning 

 sulphur. BoussiNGAULT says that some of the 

 streams which come from the volcanic regions of the 

 Andes are rendered sour by this acid. It exists in 

 gypsum and alum. 



Phosphoric acid, like oil of vitriol, is very sour, 

 and will corroda and destroy vegtable substances. It 



is formed by burning phosphorus in the air. Phos- 

 phorus is the substance that causes the common 

 friction matches to take fire so readily. If you rub 

 a friction match so as to cause it to take fire, you 

 will notice that it burns for a short time with a white 

 flame, and a white smoke arises. This white flamo 

 is the burning of the phosphorus, and the white 

 smoke is phosphoric acid. 



Silica is the name given by chemists, to flint, rock- 

 crystal, and sand-stone. It is one of the most abund- 

 ant substances in nature. It exists abundantly in 

 almost all soils, and is found in the ashes of all plants, 

 without exception. Glass is made of silica mixed 

 with potash, soda, or lime, and heated until it melts. 

 Chlorine is a kind ot air of a greenish yellow color, 

 _ and a strong, suflbcating smell. It 

 is nearly two and a half times heav- 

 ier than common air, and therefore 

 may be readily poured from one 

 vessel to another, (as seen in figure 

 3.) It exists in large quantites in 

 common salt. If you take a little 

 dry chloride of lime and put it into 

 a tall glass, (figure 3,) and pour 

 upon it strong oil of vitriol, chlorine 

 gas will be given ofl^ and fill the 

 lower part of the glass. You can 

 then see its properties, and pour it 

 '==- from one glass to another. 

 Fig. .3. These substances are all to be 



found in the ashes of our usually cultivated plants. 

 Some plants leave more ash than others, and these 

 .substances exist in diiTerent proportions in plants. 

 In our ne.xt we shall speak particularly of this sub- 

 ject. Having now given the elements of plants, we 

 are prepared to apply these facts ; for the knowledge 

 we thus gain will be of little benefit, unless we apply 

 it to useful purposes. 



BY W. C, BRYANT. 



The stormy March is come at last, 



With wind, and cloud, and changing skies ; 



1 hear the rushing of the blast 

 That through the snowy valley flies. 



Ah I passing few are they who speak, 

 Wild, stormy month, in praise of thee ; 



Yet, though thy winds are loud and bleak, 

 Thou art a welcome month to me. . 



^For thou to northern lands agoin. 



The glad and glorious sun doth bring, 

 And thou hast joined the gentle train. 

 And wear'st the gentle name of Spring. 



And in thy reign of blast and storm, 

 Smiles many a long, bright, sunny day. 



When the changed winds are soft and warm, 

 And heaven puts on the blue of May. 



Then sing aloud the gushing rills 



And the full springs, from frost set free, 



That, brightly lenpiug down the hills, 

 Are just set out to meet the sea. 



The year's dep.irting beauty hides 

 Of wintry storms the sullen threat ; 



But in thy sternest frown abides 

 A look of kindly promise yet. 



Thou bring' st the hope of those calm skies, 

 And that soft lime o{ sunny showers, 



When the wide bloom on earth that lies, 

 Seems of a brighter world than ours. 



