GARDENING AS A SCIENCE, 
203 
1st of August, 1774, and by him denominated deplilogisticated air. It is some- 
what heavier than common air, for 100 cubic inches weigh about 34J grains ; 
whereas, an equal quantity of air weighs 31 grains. Hence, the lightness of azote 
is compensated by tlie greater weight of oxygen ; and the advocates for the simple 
mixture of the two constituents of common air acquire an argument in support of 
their hypothesis. 
Oxygen exists in common air, as a gas, to the extent, as we have stated, of about 
one-fifth of its entire volume ; it also combines with the metals and assumes the 
solid form ; it unites also with almost all substances in nature ; but its grand 
magazine is water. The mind is overwhelmed when it reflects that oxygen, in the 
condition of a liquid, constitutes by weight eight parts of nine of the entire volume 
of all the waters of the vast ocean and its tributary rivers. 
When a stream of electricity is made to pass through water, a quantity of the 
purest oxygen is developed, and the experiment involves all the wonderful pheno- 
mena of galvanism, or more correctly speaking, of voltaic electricity. We refer the 
inquiring reader more particularly to Dr. Faraday's new Researches in Electricity. 
But in this decomposition of water, the oxygen is produced in the form of an air or 
gas, which occupies a volume very much more extensive than that of the water ; for 
whereas, 100 cubic inches of oxygen weigh only 34 grains, one single cubic inch 
of water is found to weigh 252J grains ! Herein we perceive one of the most 
powerful arguments in support of the electric condition of gaseous bodies ; for if 
one single grain of oxygen gas occupies a space equal to many thousand times that 
of fluid water, it follows that the electricity which has separated the constituents, 
must have combined with them during the process of decomposition. 
Oxygen gas, therefore, may be viewed as a combination of a certain base with a 
definite quantity of elementary fire ; it, therefore, is no longer to be regarded as a 
simple body. 
All the grand meteorological phenomena of nature may, therefore, be referred to 
the electrolysation of water, and the alternating recomposition of its elements. 
In this point of view, how wonderful are all the operations of nutrition and 
growth ! One plant shall be seen to produce large and succulent leaves, the juices 
of which are insipid and watery ; another abounds witli milky and resinous fluids, 
a third with highly odorous perfumes ; yet all these various conditions are mainly 
dependent upon one of the gases of the atmosphere,— oxygen, — derived in this 
instance from water, which fluid, if duly supplied, retains each plant in luxuriant 
verdure. Other inquiries, however, claim our attention, ere we can arrive at any 
correct opinion of the assimilation of water by the laborating powers of the 
vegetable organization. 
