SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
247 
W02n)EBS OF THE ATMOSPHEEE. 
The Atmosphere forms a spherical shell surrounding the 
earth to a depth which is unknown to us by reason of its 
growing tenuity, as it is released from the pressure of its 
own superincumbent mass. Its upper surface cannot be 
nearer to us than fifty, and can scarcely be more remote 
than five hundred miles. It surrounds us on all sides, 
yet w’e see it not ; it presses on us with a load of fifteen 
pounds on every square inch of surface of our bodies, or 
from seventy to one hundred tons on us all, yet we do not 
so much as feel its weight. Softer than the finest down — 
more impalpable than the finest gossamer — it leaves the 
cobw'eb undisturbed, and scarcely stirs the slightest flower 
that feeds on the dew it supplies; yet it bears the fleets of 
nations on its wings around the world, and crushes the 
most refractory substance with its weight. When in mo- 
tion, its force is sufficient to level the most stately forests 
and stable buildings with the earth — to raise the waters 
of the ocean into ridges like mountain.s, and dash the 
strongest ships to pieces, like toys. It warms and cools 
by turns the earth and the living creatures that inhabit it. 
It draws up vapors from the sea and land, retains them 
dissolved in itself or suspended in cisterns of clouds, and 
throws them down again as rain or dew when they are 
required. It bends the rays of the sun from their path to 
give us the twilight of evening and of dawn — it disperses 
and refracts their various tints to beautify the approach 
and the retreat of the orb of day. But for the atmosphere, 
sunshine would burst on us and fail us at once — and at 
once remove us from midnight darkness to the blaze of 
noon. We should have no twilight to soften and beautify 
the landscape — no clouds to shade us from the scorching 
heat — but the bald earth, as it revolved on its axis^ would 
turn its tanned and weathered front to the full and unmiti- 
gated rays of the Lord of Day. It affords the gas which 
vivifies and warms our frame;s,and receives into itself that 
W'hich had been polluted by use, and is thrown off as 
noxious. It feeds the flame of life exactly as it does that 
of the fire— it is in both cases consumed, and affords food 
of consumption ; in both cases it becomes combined with 
charcoal, which requires it for combustion, and is removed 
by it when this is ovier. 
“It is only the girdling encircling air,” says a writer in 
the North British Revino, “that flows alx)Vfe and around 
us, that makes the whole world kin. The carbonic acid 
with which to-day our breathing fills the air, to-morrow 
seeks its way round the world. The date trees that grow 
round the falls of the Nile will drink it in by their leavies ; 
the cedars of Lebanon will take of it to add to their 
stature; the cocoe.-nuts of Tahiti will grow 'rapidly’’ upon 
it; and the palms and bannrftis of Japtwi will change it 
into flowers. The oxygen we are breathing was distilled 
for us some short time ago by the magnolijts of Savan- 
nah, and the gitiaf trees tlfat skirt flie Orinoco and the 
Amazon — the giant rhpdodcjxlrons of the Himafdy’'irs con- 
tributed to it, anch-he roses and myj'tles of Cashmere^ the 
cinnamon-tree of CeyIo’’n, and the forests older than the., 
floods buried deep in the heart of Africa, Ar beliind ihd 
Mountains of the Moon. The' rain we see descending* 
was thawed for us out of the icebergs Vliicfi Iwve watfch- 
ed the Polar stSfr for ages ; atW the lotus !ilie.shavc soaked 
up from the Nile, and exhaled as vapor, snouvs that rested 
on the summit.? of the Alps.’’ * 
“ The atmosphere,” says iManli, “whidi forms the out- 
er surface of the habitable world, is a vast reserv'bir, into 
winch the supply of food designed for living creatures is 
thrown — or, in one word, it is itself the food in its simple 
form of all liviqg creatures. The animal grinds down the 
fibre and the tissue of the plant, cr the nutritious store that 
Ras been laid Up within its cells, and converts these into 
the substance ol which itsown organs are composed. The 
plant acquires the organs and nmritious store thus yield- 
ed up as food to the animal from the invulnerable air sur- 
rounding it. But animals are furnished with the means of 
locomotion and of seizure — they can approach their food, 
and lay hold of and swallow it ; plants must await till 
their food comes to them. No solid particles find access 
to their frames ; the restless ambient air, which rushes 
past them loaded with the carbon, the hydrogen, the oxy- 
gen, the water— everything they need in shape of sup- 
plies — is constantly at hand to minister to their wants, not 
only to afford them food in due season, but in the shape 
and fashion in which alone it can avail them.” 
EBLES FOR THE APPLICATION OF SUPERPHOS- 
PHATE OF LIME. 
Superphosphate of lime consists mainly of bones de- 
composed by sulphuric acid. In this form it is entirely 
harmless when applied about the roots of plants. But to 
increase the activity of this fertilizer and add to its quali- 
ties, which it possesses only in a very limited degree, 
guano or suphate of ammonia is added. Ammonia is a 
very active alkali, and like a quick-lime and potash, 
readily combines with and destroys or seriously injures 
almost every substance brought into contact with it. Con- 
taining, like guano, this caustic quality in a similar, yet in 
a very subdued degree, the rules for the application of 
superhosphate are in a great measure similar to those for 
the application of guano. 
It may be sown broadcast or in drills, but in either caae 
should be covered with earth by subsequent plowing or 
thoroughly harrowing. The seeds or roots should never 
come directly in contact with the superphosphate, though 
the covering of earth may be less than for guano. When 
applied as a top-dressing to grass land, it may first be 
mixed wdth several times its bulk of peat or swamp muck, 
that has been exposed to the air for six months ora year, 
or with turf, charcoal or plaster. 
From 300 to 500 pounds per acre is a liberal application 
for exhausted lands^ and 200 to 400 pounds as a top dress- 
ing for meadows. When applied near or arround the 
hills, from half to three-fourths of a gill is sufficient for 
corn and potatoes. — Ajh. AgrimUurist. 
SCRATCHES IN HORSES-CURE FOR IT, &C. 
Editors Southern Cultivator — Believing that’ every 
important or sovereign remedy sho’-.ld be made known, I 
send you one for Scratches in Horsbs. It is more impor- 
tant, however, for high heels (an aggravated case of 
scratches in mules, caused by corning loo high the first 
winter after they are weaned.) 
Take a teaspoonful of arsenic; put it in half a pint of 
boiling xoc.ter \ let it remain from three to five minutes. 
After it has cooled, apply with a mop to the parts affected. 
“It is a cog-tain cure^' and the ml]) sovereign remedy I 
ever tried on mules. 
Having been in the trade 17 ^ears, I hav^ tried all, I 
never kne^v two applications tb fail, and nine times out 
of ton one will suffice. 
Pul this recipe in/>ship shape,” and give it an insertion 
in your excellent OaliJtcalor. It is, perl»ps, proper to re- 
mark that no precaution is necessary after the applica- 
tion. Let them “j;ip,” as usual. 
I will continue to send you a subscriber occasionally. 
I feel an abiding interest in your sterJhig paper. A friend 
of mine to whom I sent it remarked that it was intrinsic- 
ally worth S51, so he made S50 clear by the investment 
This is, in fact, below tlip mark, fur he has a much neater 
farm, better stock, and raises a thifd more p^ acre now 
than before he was a subscriber. 
.Wishing that your efforts may oe properly appreciated, 
I subscribe myself as heretoforij, &c., 
Your friend, G. T. Allman. 
Cor^j^rstHLe, TcTm., May, 1855. 
