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1 <u I 



In conesquence of the energetic distillation of the 

 ighter gases by vegetation, as we now see, a tide or 

 current of heavier gas has been set up. The azote howe- 

 ver does not move alone, it carries with it all the gaseous 

 matter that it meets; having reached its maximum altitude 

 and begun to slide towards the minimum, it seizes and 

 bears away the vaporous clouds thickening and conden- 

 sing them in one large mass and chilling them by its 

 current. 



At the point of minimum pressure the azote, descen 

 ding, is warmed on the earth's surface; a lack of wate- 

 is reflected in a lack of hydrogen; the oxygen distiller 

 by vegetation being unable to rise towards the sun remains 

 in surplus quantities in the vegetable world, gradually 

 burning up its own source; and at the same time the 

 air grows what we commonly call close and stifling. 

 This is the reason why plants perish in hot dry places 

 from the sun's rays. 



The azote when, with its driven clouds, it has reached 

 the heated minimum of pressure, glides over the local 

 gas. But the moment the chilled vapours touch this 

 heated nitrogen, at the point of contact the element of 

 oxygen present is instantaneously combusted, and from 

 the hydrogen is formed what is technically called dry 

 vapour, a substance which has all the qualities oi fulmi- 

 nating gas. This dry vapour bursts upwards tearing and 

 rending the atmospheric clouds. 



The explosion of dr}^ vapour clearing the space for- 

 merly occupied that space is occupied by fresh clouds 

 which, proceeding as the former, produce the same re- 

 sults, and as at each explosion a mass of oxygen is com- 

 busted the hydrogen released, cooling in the atmosphere 

 falls in rain drops on the earth. 



Here is the picture of our thunder and lightning 

 which the reader can observe and verify in any place, 

 but he will be able to trace the picturesque inter-move- 

 ment of storm-clouds best of all at points on the Swiss 

 Alps. 



