WOODY FIBRE. 43 



diately be Amned by an union with the oxygen of the 

 air, and will condense on the cool surface of the glass. 



b. Water exists in several states: 1. As the simple 

 liquid; 2. As steam or vapor; 3. As ice or snow. 

 Each of these ! ve their peculiar i ^ 



and benefits. A . it renders the b©<; 1 



animals plump, moist, and elastic, while it also ^ives 

 life to all plants and veti:»t;iM. s. inriiiiii«r tlu-ir circu- 

 lating fluids. 



As a vapor, it prevents Uit ..uu. awnavto wi plants 

 and animals from drying away too much, intercepts 

 the rays of f' Ahicli would otherwise si ' it! 



burn us, and . - many other important . i 



which there is not space to spi-ak here. As ice, its 

 action in alternate freezing and thawing, thus ex- 

 panding and contracting, is to loosen and mellow the 

 soil. This is the etfect produced by ridging stiff clays 

 in autumn, that the frost may have free access. 



SECTION IV. OF OEOAXIC BODIES CONTAINIKO CARBON, 

 HYDROGEN AND OXYOEN. 



! undant body in the organic part 



of ^ i;mts, is called woody fihre^ some- 



tiiiH re. This is the string), woody part 



of 5ii.i.. , . r»it. wtxxl, &.C If any of them are 



bruised arxl until every thing that can be 



washed awa) in u<>iie, a mass of white fibres remains, 

 which is tolerably pure woody fibre. Cotton or pith 

 ar. ■ 'St natural >f this substance, a. It 



is . >tel€S8, in.>^ ^ water, and will not in 



its natural condition supuort life. b. It constitutes 

 the largest portion of nearly all plants, that is in their 

 dry state; this tl is necessar), betause many 



p|,ii>t^ 1,,v. .„,,>. .....tOf their v-i. »■♦ Mf" water by 



dr} ' rm in most of 1 1 >n grasses. 



