March i, 1889.J THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURISTo 
621 
The compounds thuH formed in the soil are, we are 
told, complex insoluble amides resembling those 
existing in living organisms, and must have resulted 
through the vital activity of the micro-organisms 
present in the soil. If soils have the powor of fixing 
atmospheric nitrogen through the action of living 
organisms, they possess a means of recruiting fertility 
independent of plant action, and of so fundamental a 
nature that, supposing such action to take place, the 
question of the source of nitrogen and the supply of 
nitrogen in Hoils would be set at rest. Another novel 
view is that propounded with reference to dew-for- 
11111,1 ion. Here, we have a subject which is not very 
dearly related to that of rocks and soils, So far as 
the soil is a vehicle of plant nutrition, its conditions 
as related to moisture are of course important, and 
it is in this connection that the theory of dew as 
propounded by Dr. Stockbridge finds a place in his 
work. It is not necessary here to explain Dr. Wells's 
explanation of the fall of dew. It is sufficient to state 
that it is unsatisfactory to our author, who holds that 
dew on the leaves of plants is (we presume ho means 
occasionally and not universally) derived from the 
plant itself rather than from condensation from the 
atmosphere. Dew on growiug vegetables is produced 
hy the condensation of the transpired moisture from 
t he plant on its own leaves. This explanation is proved 
by direct experiment, and we are uot disposed to 
deny its truth. It is probable, and, in fact, moro than 
probablo, that pjants which are giving off large 
quantities of water iuto a cold or overcharged atmos- 
phere should have a portion of their own moisture 
thrown back upon them. This fact is asserted in 
Marshall Ward's translation of Sachs's " Physiology 
of Plauts," when he says, " Much of the water we 
lind early in the morning on the margin of the leaves 
of many Geld and garden plants in the form of large 
drops, and which .are generally tsken for drops of dew, 
is really water excreted from the pi nts themselves." 
That the air is really the cooliDg medium by which the 
moisture rising from the warm soil or the growing 
plant is condensed is no doubt often true. The mist 
which stretches over the meadows at suudown is 
moisture condensed in the cool air, and thus becomes 
precipitated upon vegetation, and not only on 
vegetation, but upon everything else. Where 
we think Dr. Stockbridge has overstated his 
M B is when he. writes in italics, " Tin declaration 
i< hen .n.i.i- thai dew is the comleii.ni/r.vho/aliii/i of the 
plant " The statement is too general, and the assertion 
' much of the character of a supposed new di*- 
■ "v. ry ou the part of the author. The real facts of 
the ease are, that dew is produced in some cases from 
•'oml<<ii.-«-d exhalations from the plant, or from con- 
drn-'d moisture rising from the soil; hut also from 
the precipitation of moisture from higher sections of 
khe air daring the night; especially wheu the sky is 
clear. The collection of water in tho form of hoar 
tro-4 upon leafless trees or lawns must be derived 
pom the condensation ol atmospheric moisture npon 
the tree, or upon the grass, cooled by radiation ; and 
«e have no doubt that grnss radinteaheat on a moon- 
light night more rapidly than does bare ground. Dr. 
Stookbfidge lays too much stress on the fact that the 
earth is wanm-r than tin- air when dew is falling. 
Thi» he asks us to believe is fatal to the theory that 
the earth condenses nr can condenso atmospheric 
moisture. The radiating power of the earth is very 
great, and exceeds that of the air, which, in fact, 
ahMrba and retains much boat which otherwise would 
be immediately lost iu space. Dr. Stookbridge argue* 
that the lurfnco of tho earth is invariably warmer than 
the air at the dew point, but this is not likely to bo 
(bo case. liven the temperature of grass land is 
affirmed to be always warmer than the air, and hence 
it is contended that iu no instance can tho earth or 
vegetation be the i oielenser. W'e ate disposed tothink 
'bit observation will throw more light on this point 
limn niieh experiments as are quoted nr were made by 
nr. Block bridge. 
It is probable that dew may be precipitated at times 
by a colder air on a warmer surface, and at other times 
by a cold noil or cold uxpanau of leal from a warm atmo 
sphere. Whether the leaf of a grass or the air above 
it acts the part of " the cold pitcher" is not always to 
be predicated, but in either case dew would be the 
result. We may point out that, while Dr. Stockbridge 
is disposed to assert that tho soil is always warmer 
than the air, other aathorities are of opinion that 
the surface, especially of grass, is colder by many 
degreos than the air. A thermometer laid upon grass 
would, we believe, recede further and record a lower 
minimum than one suspended 2 feet above the grass. 
The freezing of dew on grass during summer nights, 
which is always an unpleasant sight to gardeners and 
farmers, appears to be accounted for by radiation of 
heat from the grass surface, while the substance of 
the grass cute off radiated heat from below. The 
absence of dew under shade also is apparently due to 
radiation from the earth being checked, and tho cool- 
ing process of the surface of the earth or its vegetable 
covering being prevented. 
Dr. Stockbridge's book suffers from caroless reading 
of the proofs. This work, the author tells us, he was 
oompelled to depute to others. In one place (.p. 183) 
the word " soil " is evidently used instead of air, 
thereby reversing the author's obvious meaning, and 
tho word "not" is interpolated, which further confuses 
the sentence hopelessly. Names of authors quoted 
aro mis-spelt in several cases. The book, especially 
in the earlier pages, is somewhat bombastic and pro- 
vincial in its style, and, as we have before stated, 
many of the earlier pages might have been omitted 
with advantage. The tone of the writing becomes 
more modest, precise, and student-like as the author 
approaches the topics which we ;ire informed upon the 
title-page he professes, — John Wrightson. — Nature. 
♦ 
DIVEESIFIED FAEMING. 
This phrase has been used so much and printed so 
often that it often causes a smile calling up disappoint- 
ments similar to those that succeeded the era of 
" mineral resources " soon after the war. The truth 
is, our people will have to get out of the old ruts, for 
what now goes by the plain name of trucking receives 
commendation and makes money has been severely 
ridiculed by the old planters and farmers. In the days 
of ridicule down South they caded it "dude farming," 
and we make an extract from a humorous speech of 
Col. \\ r . H, Dudley, of Mississippi, on the subject. 
About four years ago I was doing well as a cotton 
planter. I was raising cotton that cost me ten cents 
a pound, aud was selling it for nine cents. I was 
getting rich so fast that I ooncluded I would retire 
and make way for those who were more needy. About 
this time I read of a man down at Crystal Springs, 
Miss., who had sold *< 1,000 worth, gross, from au acre 
planted in tomatoes. My ambition was fired. What 
ono man could do another could. Why uot plant 200 
acres in tomatoes, make §200,000 and retire ? I was 
not greedy. I did not want so much money. I 
thought §o,000 would be about enough for one 
year's work. So I settled on five acres as tho 
a mount of ground I would plant in tomatoes. I knew 
I should be near the depot, so I rented my land and 
moved iuto Canton, Miss., on the Illinois Central 
Railroad. As it was a new business, of course it 
became tho town talk. Everybody discovered suddenly 
that it was a big thing, and promised fortunes to 
thoso who went into it. There was soon a tomato 
craze in tho town. Before I planted a seed I found 
out that everybody was going to plant tomatoes. 
Some wild man proposed to organize a society. Every- 
body jumped at the idea. The society was formed 
wich a great burst of enthusiasm. There was high old 
Muffling and log-rolling for positions. l!y much man 
cuveriug I sailed iu as secretary aud raised tho dust 
with au extempore speech of thanks for the unexpected 
honor conferred upon mw. I had worked for it like 
a ward bummer. Our meeting* were frequent an 1 
very interesting. Kv.-ry man was told what be knew 
and a great deal more. One mail told about a vino in 
a rich spot iu bis garden which grew up over bin 
kitchen, on up over his two. story residence to tho top 
of an oak tree, but ho did not got auy tomatoes. It 
