84 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
. What becomes of the nitrogen which was combined 
with the oxygen in atmospheric air 1 
The greatest part of the nitrogen is thrown out of 
the lungs at every respiration ; and being somewhat 
lighter than atmospheric air, it rises into the atmos¬ 
phere to await fresh combinations. . 
What provisions has nature made for restoring the 
•vast quantity of oxygen which respiration and combus¬ 
tion are perpetually 'taking from the atmosphere ? 
The leaves(p) of trees and other vegetables give 
out during the day, a large portion of oxygen gas ,(q) 
which, uniting with the nitrogen thrown off by ani¬ 
mal respiration, keeps up the equilibrium, and pre¬ 
serves the salubrity of the atmosphere. 
Is this perpetual renovation of the atmosphere owing 
to a fortunate concurrence of circumstances, or is it the 
effect of design and contrivance ? 
When we recollect the various processes of nature 
and of art, which concur with respiration and com¬ 
bustion, in depriving the atmospheric air of its oxy¬ 
gen ; and that, notwithstanding the atmosphere uni¬ 
formly contains every where the same proportion of 
this gaseous substance, we can attribute the renova¬ 
tion to nothing but design, and perceive in it a proof 
that the laws of nature must be referred, not to blind 
chance, but to unerring intelligence combined with 
infinite goodness. 
NOTES. 
(a) It is now generally supposed that the air owes its elas¬ 
ticity to caloric, and that if it could be entirely deprived of 
the matter of heat, it would loose its elastic form. 
The rebounding of a common foot ball would be a familiar 
instance to explain the elasticity of the air to a child; also the 
bubbles of air rising from the bottom of a glass of water, which 
will be seen to dilate as they rise to the surface, owing to the 
pressure of the liquor becoming less and less upon them. 
The air gun and the forcing pump are constructed on this 
principle of elasticity. It is by this property of the air that 
fishes are enabled to rise and sink in the water; nature hav¬ 
ing furnished them with an air bladder; which they have the 
power of contracting or dilating at pleasure. When a fish 
compresses this bladder, its whole volume becomes less, and 
it sinks in the water; when the pressure is removed, the air 
within the bladder instantly expands, and then it is enabled 
to rise. 
_ (b) If the neck of a bladder, containing a small quantity of 
air, be closely tied up and held to the fire, the swelling of the 
bladder, by the rarifaction of the air within it, will afford an 
idea of the expansibility of the air. 
Mr. Robins has calculated that the air which is disengaged 
in the firing of gun-powder, is rarified by the heat so as to oc¬ 
cupy a thousand times the space of the whole of the gun¬ 
powder employed. 
(c) It has been ascertained by experiment that no other 
gaseous body with which we are acquainted, can be substi¬ 
tuted for atmospheric air. All the known gases have been 
tried; but they all prove fatal to the animal which is made to 
breathe them. Even water absorbs air when exposed to the 
action of the atmosphere, and thence becomes a fit element 
for the various tribes of creatures who inhabit it. 
“ The vital air 
Pervades the swarming seas and heaving earths, 
Where teeming nature broods her myriad births; 
Fills the fine lungs of all that breathe or bud, 
Warms the new heart, and dyes the gushing blood; 
With life’s first spark inspires the organic frame. 
And, as it wastes, renews the subtle flame.”— Darwin. 
It is to the presence of air that water is indebted for its 
agreeable taste. Boiling deprives it of the greatest part of it; 
hence the insipidity of boiled water. 
(d) In the use of atmospheric air, mart is the only being 
who gives to it all the modulations of which it is susceptible. 
With his voice alone he imitates the hissing, the cries, and 
the melody of all animals; while he enjoys the gift of speech 
denied to every other. To the air also he sometimes commu¬ 
nicates sensibility: he makes it sigh in the pipe, lament in 
the flute, threaten in the trumpet, and animate to the tone of 
his passions even the solid brass, the box-tree and the reed. 
Sometimes he makes it his slave; he forces it to grind, to 
bruise, to move for his advantage an endless variety of ma¬ 
chines. In a word, he harnesses it to his car, and obliges it 
to waft him over the stormy billows of the ocean. 
(e) The pressure of the atmosphere may be shown by a 
very simple experiment. Place a card on a wine-glass filled 
with water; then invert the glass, and the water will not es¬ 
cape; the pressure of the atmosphere [upwards] on the out¬ 
side of the card being sufficient to support the water. 
(f) In this operation the atmosphere presses equally upon 
the whole surface of the water in the well, until the rod of 
the pump is moved; but. by forcing the rod down, the bucket 
compresses the air in the lower part of the pump tree, which 
being elastic, forces its way out of the tree through the valve; 
so that, when the bucket is again raised, that part of the 
pump tree under the bucket is devoid of air, and the whole 
weight of the atmosphere pressing upon the body of water in 
the well, forces up a column of water to supply its place; the 
next stroke of the pump rod causes another column of water 
to rise, and so long as the bucket fits the pump tree so as to 
produce a vacuum, a constant stream of water may be drawn 
from below. A common syringe will show the action of at¬ 
mospheric air in pumping. 
(g) It is the principle of evaporation producing cold that 
occasions the injury which persons sustain by sitting in wet 
clothes. It is not the water that hangs upon them that pro¬ 
duces the mischief, but the sudden loss of a large portion of 
caloric, which is carried otf from the body by the evaporation of 
this water. If a healthy person were closely covered up with 
his wet clothes, so that no evaporation could take place, he 
would probably sustain no injury. 
(h) Were it not for the weight of the atmosphere constring¬ 
ing the vessels in animals and vegetables, the elastic fluids 
contained in the fine vessels, would inevitably burst them, 
and life become extinct. 
Persons who have delicate constitutions need not wonder 
that they are generally much affected by a change in the at¬ 
mosphere, when they learn, that often in the course of a few 
hours, there is an increase or diminution of one hundred 
weight, and from that to half a ton weight, of atmospheric 
pressure, on each individual, while the internal pressure of the 
circulating fluids remains the same. Supposing a man’s 
body to contain fifteen square feet of surface, (which is near 
the truth,) he will sustain a body of air of upwards of four¬ 
teen tons Weight. But it is necessary to remark, that the 
air presses upwards, downwards and sideways, in every di¬ 
rection, and that it is owing to this equal pressure that we 
are not injured by the vast weight of the atmosphere; for the 
equal pressure on all sides resists as much as it is resisted. 
(i) A column of air of the height of the atmosphere, when 
greatest, is equal to a column of water 35 feet high, or a co¬ 
lumn of mercury of the same size 30) inches high. Hence 
water will not rise in a pump more than 35 feet, nor mercury 
in a barometer stand higher than 30) inches. A quart mea¬ 
sure of atmospheric air weighs about 17) grains. 
(?) All the gases are compounds of solid matter and caloric. 
It is caloric which separates the particles, and gives to the 
whole a gaseous form. 
(k) Nitrogen forms a part of all animal substances. It is 
also the base of ammonia, and of the nitric acid. It appears 
to be favorable to plants, as they grow and vegetate freely in 
this gas. It seems to be the substance which nature employs 
in converting vegetables to animal substances, and to be the 
grand agent in animalizauon. 
( l) By the rise of the breast bone in man, and the descent 
of the diaphragm, room is afforded for 42 cubic inches of at¬ 
mospheric air at every drawing in of the breath. A deeper 
inspiration will give room for more than twice this quantity. 
(in) According to Lavoissier, a man generally consumes 
32 ounces troy of oxygen gas in 24 hours; that is, the lungs 
separate this quantity of oxygen from the air which he respires 
in that time. 
(n) Clothes keep the body warm in consequence of the 
air which they infold within them; all confined bodies of at¬ 
mospheric air being non-conductors of heat. It is on this 
principle that double windows preserve the warmth of apart¬ 
ments at an equable temperature. In like manner, double 
lids for boilers, are found to be very effectual for preserving 
the heat of the liquor with a very small portion of fuel. 
On this principle it is that light spongy substances, such as 
furs and down, afford the warmest clothing. Hence it is that 
the carpet of snow which covers the earth in winter, is spread 
out by nature with so light a hand, that it might hold an 
abundance of atmospheric air within its interstices, to pre¬ 
serve the warmth of those innumerable tribes of vegetables 
which it is destined to protect. 
(o) We clothe ourselves with wool, because it is a bad 
conductor of heat, and retards its escape from the body.— 
The inhabitants of Russia, clothe themselves in fur, because 
fur is still a worse conductor of heat than wool. Sheep are 
natives of a temperate climate; but the bear and the ermine 
of the coldest. The provident care of the Creator is evident¬ 
ly conspicuous in this appointment, and discovers the same 
undeviating attention to the comfort of all his creatures; hence 
the clothing of animals in the torrid zone is hair, in the tem¬ 
perate zones wool, in the frigid thick fur. 
(p) The upper side of the leaf is the organ of respiration: 
hence some vegetables (as they give out oxygen only in the 
day,) close the upper surfaces of their leaves during the night. 
The multiplicity of the leaves of trees indicates the impor¬ 
tance of transpiration to a vegetable. 
(q) To show the production of oxygen gas from the leaves 
of plants, fill a glass bell with water, introduce some fresh 
leaves under it, and place the bell inverted in a flat dish of 
water. Expose the apparatus to the rays of the sun, and very 
pure oxygen gas will be disengaged, which will displace the 
water in the jar. and occupy its place. In like manner, a 
sprig of mint, corked up with a small portion of carbonic acid 
air, and placed in the light, will absorb the carbon and render 
the air again capable of supporting life. The plant purifies 
what the animal had poisoned. 
All the oxygen, however, is not given out by plants; part 
must be retained to form the sugar and acids which are found 
in vegetables. 
Horticultural Association of tile Valley of the 
Hudson* 
Q3" A meeting was called for the 30th May, to be held at 
the rooms of the Lyceum of Natural History, 563 Broadway, 
N. York, to organize an association, under the style of u The 
Horticultural Society of the Valley of the Hudson.” The 
objects of the association are to facilitate the introduction in¬ 
to our orchards and gardens, and of disseminating, all the 
choice kinds of fruits and vegetables which are adapted to our 
soil and climate, and of improving our f a.ste ’for the rural 
embellishments and ornamental gardening—objects highly 
conducive to the comfort and rational enjoyment of all classes 
of the community. The circular calling the meeting, bears 
the names of several highly respectable gentlemen and pro¬ 
fessional gardeners, and invites the attendance of all who are 
anxious to promote the objects of the association. 
K3" Ruta Baga Seed* <430 
A parcel of genuine purple top Ruta Baga Seed has been 
left at the Cultivator office, in half pound papers, for sale, by 
a gentleman who imported it direct. Price 75 cents per lb. 
Moneys received during the last month, in sums of five dollars 
and over. The total receipts are included from post-offices 
marked with an asterisk ." 
*Abingd@ri, 
No. Vols 
Md. 16 
*Baltimore, 
Aid. 77 
Auburn, 
Va. 
7 
Brook Hall, 
Aid. 11 
Abbeville, 
O. 
10 
Belleville, 
Ill. 11 
"Alexandria, 
D. C. 
60 
Berkley. 
Va. 11 
Adams, 
Mass. 
10 .Bloomfield, 
19 (Bridgewater, 
5iBrinckleyville, 
lli*Boston. 
12 Burlington, 
24 Broadalbin, Mont. 
Ky. 22 
*Binghamton, Br. 
Berlin, Renss. 
Bloominggrove, Or. 
"Buffalo, Erie, 
"Brownsville, 
Pa. 
Ct. 10 
N. C. 5 
Mass. 110 
N. J. 6 
5 
"Byberry, 
ii 
17jCold Brook, Herk. 
11 
Butler, 
a 
51 Cortland ville, Cort. 
6 
Brooklyn, 
<< 
5; Clarksville, 
Va. 11 
Chestertown, 
Va. 48 Madison, 
O. 
5 
*Chicago, 
Ill. 8 Morgan, 
O. 
6 
Carthage, 
“ 11 Milton, 
N. C. 
10 
Canton, 
“ 5 Milwaukee, 
Wis. Ter. 
16 
Cambridge, 
Md. 22"Monroe, 
Geo. 
11 
"Chaptico, 
Md. 10 *Murffeesburgh, 
Tenn. 
20 
Cranberry, 
N. J. 9 Mentor, 
0. 
27 
Charleston, 
N. H. 10 Madison, 
Ia. 
9 
Columbus, 
Miss. 10 "New-York city, 
115 
"Connellsville, 
Pa. 14 New-Paltz, Uis. 
7 
Chester, 
Mass. 6 Noblesville, 
Ia. 
5 
"Columbia, 
S. C. 19 "Nashville, 
Tenn. 
78 
Churchville, 
Va. 5 New Church, 
Va. 
6 
Duanesburgh, Sehen. 8 New Store, 
H 
11 
"Durham, Greene, 
ll t *Newbern, 
a 
16 
Dan by, Tomp. 
6 New Egypt, 
N. J. 
5 
Dublin, 
N. H. ll|*Norwalk, 
Ct. 
24 
"Dixon’s Ferry, 
Ill. 34'Norwich Town, 
if 
27 
Danbury, 
Ct. 7 "New Alilford, 
it 
16 
Dundas, 
U. C. 24 New Britain, 
a 
6 
East Hartford, 
Ct. 17Niles, 
Mich. 21 
"Easton, 
Md. 15 New-Haven, 
Vt. 
7 
Eastville, 
Va. 5 Napersviile, 
11. 26 
Wis. Ter. 
Mass. 
D. C. 
Eugene, la. 
"Frankfort, Ky. 
Flemingsburgh, 
Fort Madison, 
"Geneva, Ont. 
Granby, 
"Georgetown, 
"Georgetown Roads Md. 
Ghent, Ky. 
"Greenwich, N. J. 
Geneva, O. 
Highland Mills, Or. 
"Huntington, Stiff., 
Hancock, 
"Hartford, 
Huntersville, 
"Harris burgh, 
Hunt’s Store, 
Highland, 
Hamburgh, 
Harrisburgh, 
Hannibal, Osw. 
Jamestown, Chau. 
Jamaica, Qu. 
"Johnstown, Mont. 
"Johnson’s Springs, 
Jeffersonton, 
Kingwood, 
Kingston, 
Kalamazoo, 
"Knoxville, 
Liberty, 
Lovingston, 
Luray, 
"La Grange, 
"Lexington, 
"Lenox, 
La Fayette, Onon. 
Lockport, Niag. 
Martinsburgh, Lewis, 
Marlboro, Ulster, 
Madison, 
Midway, 
Mulloys, 
Manchester, 
Mishawaka, 
Milton, 
Meadville, 
Montreal, 
Montpelier, 
Mount Solon, 
Middlebury, O. 
N..H. 
Ct. 
Va. 
it 
N. C. 
Mich. 
a 
Pa. 
Va. 
a 
N. J. 
U 
Mich. 
Tenn. 
Va. 
Ky. 
Mass. 
Ct. 
Tenn. 
i i 
la. 
Ia. 
Pa. 
ii 
L. C. 
Va. 
5 Ogdensburgh, St. Law. 
21 ! *Poughkeepsie, Dutch. 
11 "Petersburgh, 
22 Pekin, 
27; Princeton, 
9 Pleasant Mount 
27:Poquonock, 
21|*Piymouth, 
21*Princess Anne, 
79*Pit.tsburgh, 
6 Queechy Village, 
9 Quincy, 
528.'"Richmond, 
lli'Richmond, Richmond, 
5 
40 
Ga. 39 
lili. 5 
5 
5 
9 
“ 8 
Md. 50 
Pa. 24 
Vt. 
Ill. 
Va. 
Pa. 
Ct. 
6 
5 
83 
27 
6 
33 
6 
7 
16 
5 
12 
11 
5 
5 
6 
7 
6 
6 
22 
Ridgefield, Ct. 
"Rutland, • Vt. 
Searsville, Sull. 
Sidney, Del. 
"Schenectady, Sch’y, 
Sandy-Hill, Wash. 
Speedsville, Tomp. 
Setauket, Suff. 
Syracuse, Onon. 
So. Coventry, Ct. 
Southington, 
Stonington, “ 
Scott’s Ferry, Va. 
Suckasunny, N. J. 
Scull Shoals, Geo. 
"Sherburn, Mass. 30 
Springfield, “ 7 
Sheldon, Vt. 8 
Stroudsburgh, Pa. 11 
So. Union, Ky. 5 
"Spring Arbor, Mich. 11 
Tiffin, O. 5 
*Utica. Oneida, , 36 
Union Meeting House, Md. 16 
Union Mills, Va. 8 
Union Village, Vt. 5 
Wheatland, Mon. 21 
Watertown, Jeff. 7 
Walkerton, Va. 22 
Wilmington, “ 6 
Wallsburgh, “ 11 
Waterville, O. 11 
Williamsburgh, Mass. 5 
Wiibraham, “ 24 
West Thompson, Ct. 5 
"Winchester, “ 20 
Warren, Pa. 6 
Yovktown, West. 6 
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FROM THE STEAM PRESS OF 
PACKARD & VAN BENTMUYSEN, 
