No. 129.] ' 193 



moisture wnicli it affords them, but greatly on the different 

 foreign matters which it holds in suspension or solution. These 

 consist of both organic and inorganic, or mineral, animal, and 

 vegetable substances j of the former, carbonate of lime, sulphate 

 of lime, common salt, muriate of soda, and magnesia, sulphate ot 

 soda and silica. Vegetable matters in infinite variety are con- 

 tinually washed or falling into streams and decaying, and carried 

 down, mixing as they move with the other materials, and form- 

 ing a rich compound and sediment, and deposited on land, make 

 a first rate aliment for most if not all plants. On correct analy- 

 ses of these last, it will be found tliey all yield ingredients simi- 

 lar to those enumerated, or most of them, and that these are the 

 food or natural constituents of all plants, and especially the 

 grasses. We have innumerable examples and proof of this 

 great benefit land receives from water passing over it. Our 

 American rivers, some of a large size, from 100 to 1,000 miles 

 in length, deep and wide, much more so at some parts of the 

 season than at others, but never ceasing to run and carrying 

 down in their beds a greater or less quantity of water. These 

 wash lands and shores of every variety and quality, they cut 

 their way through large mountains, v;ash their bases on both 

 sides and carry down in their bosoms, either in a state of solution 

 or suspension the debris or ruins of rocks and minerals of every 

 kind- Animal and vegetable substances of ever}^ species, land 

 animals as well as water animals ; the former are thrown or fall 

 in, die and decay, fishes of various species, shells, &.C., and all 

 fresh water animal products. Vegetable matter of every kind 

 grows luxuriantly upon the banks of these rivers, mature, ripen, 

 and fall or are washed in ; all are more or less thoroughly de- 

 composed by the action of the water, mixed and intermingled and 

 rolled down together for hundreds and in some cases for thou- 

 sands of miles. Compost manures are here formed by the opera- 

 tions of nature, of the richest and mostefiiclent kind for all plants 

 that grow more perfect than fallible man could combine them and 

 without labor or expense. Minerals, and animal and vegetable 

 matter of every kind known perhaps in the world, broken into 

 minufe parts by the continual action of water and attrition. 

 These are deposited on the banks and shores of great and small 

 [Assembly, No. 129.] - 13 



