OF CARBON. 43 



carbon, exclusive of that contained in the straw 

 and roots. Again we have seen that woody 

 fibre contains 38 per cent, of carbon, and wood 

 in its growth continues to assimilate this quan- 

 tity annually for a long series of years, in the 

 production of timber. The question therefore 

 that now arises is, from whence do these or- 

 ganic substances derive their supply of this 

 article? In the case of the hay and the wheat- 

 field, it may be argued that the manure applied 

 to the land furnishes this supply ; but then, 

 it may be asked, whence does the water mea- 

 dow, and the forest derive this supply, seeing 

 that in neither case is any manure applied for 

 many years together, and yet the produce of 

 vegetable matter is equally great. 



It is not intended by this argument to deny 

 the benefit that manures do to the soil, and it 

 will be seen in the sequel, the importance at- 

 tached to them. But here the question is from 

 whence is the "supply of carbon obtained ? and 

 it may be positively affirmed, that the manure 

 applied in any case to the land, does not afford 

 a sufficient quantity of this substance to ac- 

 count for the immense quantity existing in the 

 produce of the land. The answer to this ques- 

 tion embraces a considerable field of inquiry, 

 and one which when fully considered, will 

 open our minds to the great and wonderful 

 powers of nature, in the means employed for 

 equalizing matter, and restoring and keeping 

 up the harmony that should and does exist in 

 all parts of the vast scheme of the creation, and 

 one which cannot fail to impress us with the 



