On the Theory of Vcgdation. 1^1 



wlien vegetables grow most rapidly. This is a fact wltliin 

 every man's observation. The more solid parts of vogeta- 

 bles therefore, when imbibed, immediately cohere and at- 

 tach themselves to the plant, and the watery particles only 

 or principally are liable to be exhaled by common summer 

 heet. It appears probable that the nurrishment of the 

 more succulent* plants, being mostly imbibed from th« air, 



4 



conveys more of the enriching substances to the roots, than 

 is derived from the roots to the branches. And this may 

 be the reason why a growth of clover will fertilize land, 

 even when the body of the crop is carried off. 



But whether this is true or not, it is a fact that vegeta- 

 bles * do imbibe nutriment from the atmosphei^e, and this is 

 undoubtedly the feason, why all vegetation wnll fertilize 

 land, provided the whole growth is permitted to ferment 

 and putrify upon the land. It is owing to this circum- 

 stance merely that land newly cleered is rich and fertile. 

 The trees have for ages been inhaling the oil and salts of 

 the atmosphere ; the leaves and some of the limbs have 

 been annually falling upon the earth, where they putrify 

 and form a rich black mold, abounding with oil and salts, 

 which were collected from the air. And I am surprized that 

 our farmers, who are constant observers of these facts, have 

 not attended more to the principles which produce them; 

 for I do not see how men, who are constant eye-witnesses 

 of the effect of putrified vegetables in fertilizing land, can 

 suffer their old feelds to lie barren for a number of yecrs in 



order to become rich. The seed of clover, beans, peas, 



buck 



