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2caE‘£ 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
this class contains many used as condiment or food, 
many others which are very poisonous, are associated 
with them, as the hemlock. We know too little of 
the natural affinities of plants, to enable us to dis¬ 
tinguish the poisonous, from those that are not so ; 
as the sweet chervil of the garden, which is often 
mistaken for hemlock, nor the common celery, mista¬ 
ken for the same. Accidents from this kind are not 
uncommon, and it was from eating drop-wort that 
grows upon the banks of the Thames and other rivers, 
instead of celery, that several convicts died at Wool¬ 
wich, three or four years ago. The papilionaceous, 
include many used for food, as pulse, beans, peas, 
tares, saintfoin, and others, and are so named, from 
the fancied resemblance of the flower to a butterfly. 
The fruit forms a pod, called a legume, and the plants 
are therefore called leguminous ; of many of them, 
the seeds are food for man, and the stem and leaves 
of some, are food for cattle ; but the seeds of the al¬ 
burnum, and many others, are poisonous. Although 
we are not yet sufficiently acquainted with the charac¬ 
ters which may enable us to distinguish the qualities 
of all, yet, De Candolle has furnished us with a sign 
by which we may in some measure distinguish be¬ 
twixt those which are poisonous or not. It is by ob¬ 
serving how the leaves spring from the seed, which 
are found to be very dissimilar. Some throw their 
lobes above the ground, and are of a green colour, as 
in the laburnum. In most of this kind of plants cul¬ 
tivated for the purposes of food, the leaves remain be¬ 
neath the soil; but although this cannot be taken as 
an absolute criterion of a wholesome plant, from the 
circumstance that some of them throw up their leaves, 
it is a well recognized fact that no poisonous plant 
keeps its leaves beneath the surface. The potato is 
a member of a poisonous and narcotic order, being in¬ 
cluded in the same as the hemlock, nightshade, °and 
mandrake. The potato being wholesome, seems to 
mark another feature, that some parts alone are poi¬ 
sonous whilst others are not, and that this poisonous 
principle may reside in different parts of the plant. 
In the poppy, the seeds are not poisonous, but on the 
contrary, highly nutritious ; in some parts of the con¬ 
tinent being a food both for man and animals. It is 
used extensively for the adulteration of oil; a large 
portion of the olive oil imported from France being 
almost exclusively composed of it. The fleshy part 
of the plum and other fruits is good for food, and nu¬ 
tritious, whilst the kernels and leaves are highly poi¬ 
sonous, containing hydrocyanic acid. The tubers of 
potatoes when roasted, are good, but the stem, leaves 
and other parts of the plant are deleterious. The 
tubers, when on the ground and exposed to the sur¬ 
face of light, become green, and taste badly. In its 
history the potato presents the same hemisphere as 
various kinds of corn. It was not known in the 
Eastern hemisphere, or the Old World, until after 
the discovery of America, where it was found culti¬ 
vated in Peru, from whence it was introduced by Sir 
Walter Raleigh into Virginia, in 1583. It is sup¬ 
posed to be indigenous to the Andes and Peru, but 
it is not found there in a wild state by travellers. In 
many parts of Asia Minor, the soil is covered with 
the citron, cherry, pear, and other varieties of fruits. 
Although we are ignorant of their native spot, they 
may have formerly been introduced into these parts 
and cultivated, and point out ancient civilization. 
Many ages ago, science and civilization were con¬ 
fined to certain parts ; and from countries in proxi¬ 
mity to the Euxine Sea, the gulph of Persia, and 
other parts, was Europe indebted for its supply of 
almost all descriptions of fruit and vegetables. In 
the time of Cato, the Romans were neither acquainted 
with peaches or mulberries ; in that of first Tar- 
quin, the olive was not known to exist in Italy, Spain 
or Africa ; in that of Appius Claudius, olive oil was 
rare; but now, all the neighboring countries derive 
their supply from these parts. In the time of Pliny, 
it was introduced into France and Spain. The vine, 
all the varieties of which originally sprung from one 
species, modified by climate and cultivation, is in¬ 
teresting in its genealogy. It was not known ori- 
f inally in Europe, but followed man in his migrations. 
t is found wild in the Caspian, though we have no 
reason to suppose it originally to have been so.— 
From Greece it was introduced to Sicily; by the 
Phoceans it was carried into the south of France; 
by the Romans to the banks of the Rhine; from 
whence it was extended to the various islands of the 
Mediterranean. Several of the fruits so important 
in the tropical regions, as the banana, the date, co¬ 
coa-nut, &c. have the history ot their origin involved 
in the same obscurity as the European plants just 
named. 
The solid matter of which vegetable substances are 
principally supplied from the earth, is carbon or 
charcoal, which principally comes through water. 
In plants growing in the arid sands of tropical re¬ 
gions, which are scarcely susceptible of supporting 
vegetation, we find very little carbonaceous matters, 
a small proportion of the solid principle being com¬ 
bined with a large quantity of aqueous juices. There 
are certain other principles which must be furnished 
from the soil; and if it be destitute of these, the 
plant cannot be fostered, and hence the difficulty of 
cultivation, from not knowing the chemical nature 
of the earth and soil. Plants growing in the neigh¬ 
borhood of the ocean, contain soda, which has its 
origin in the spray of the sea to which they are ex¬ 
posed ; the common eryngo will grow in such situa¬ 
tions, but not in a garden, from the want of sea-salt. 
It has, however, been kept alive under such circum¬ 
stances, by watering with water in which sea-salt 
had been dissolved. The matter of flint, or silica, is 
contained in considerable quantities in many plants, 
as in the common cane; if two pieces be rubbed to¬ 
gether they will produce a light from this circum¬ 
stance. When we examine the cuticle, we find a 
considerable quantity of minute flinty matter, which 
produces the light. Mechanics are in the habit of 
using a vegetable production called Dutch rush, but 
which is not common in this country ; it is used by 
cabinet-makers and workers of brass, for polishing, 
where it acts like a fine file, caused by an innumer¬ 
able number of peices of rock crystal. Two causes 
may be assigned for the presence of this:—it is 
either imbibed by the plant in a fluid state, or pro¬ 
duced by a certain specific vital action in the plant. 
As we do not know any instance of the latter, the 
former may be assigned as the probable cause. Such 
plants will not grow without silica, and in situations 
where plants do not flourish, it is owing to the cir¬ 
cumstance, that the soil does not contain its proper 
quantity of proper earth. 
Lime is a well known substance, existing in vege¬ 
tables in various proportions; in some being con¬ 
tained in a considerable quantity. It is always in 
combination with an acid, either the carbonic or the 
phosphoric, analagous to chalk or animal bone. One 
probable cause of the fertility of lime, when applied 
as manure to soil, is in the carbonic acid which it 
absorbs from the atmosphere, presenting it in a form 
by which it is readily decomposed. The soils which 
contain lime are most favorable for the growth of 
corn ; and wheat never flourishes more than where 
it abounds. It is contained in grain in such quan¬ 
tities, that it is computed that every person who 
consumes 1 lb. of bread daily, will, in the course of 
one year take into his system 3 lb. 6 oz. 3 drachms, 
and 44 grains of phosphate of lime. This circum¬ 
stance is the reason why it is of superior quality 
over other grain, as it forms the principal part of hu¬ 
man bodies. It is found in milk, where nature seems 
to indicate that it is contained for the nourishment of 
the young animal, from the remarkble fact that when 
they are able to take other food, the milk loses its pro¬ 
portion of this substance. Although phosphate of 
lime is contained in considerable quantities in the 
adult secretions, it is not known in those of the young, 
being all taken up for the purpose of nutriment. The 
shells of eggs are formed of this substance, and Dr. 
Paris has ascertained the singular fact, that if the legs 
of a hen be broken, she will lay her eggs without 
shells until these are repaired, for which the lime is 
required. Hens will also lay their eggs without shells 
if there is a deficiency of lime in the yard in which 
they roam. It is a remarkable circumstance, that 
although the grain contains the phosphate, the straw 
contains the carbonate of lime. Carbon is, next to 
water, the principal support of vegetation. In the 
formation of soil, the earthy and crustaceous lichens 
are planted first: these die and form a bed for the 
seed of the mosses. In the fertilization of land, dif¬ 
ferent operations are going on; the roots of the eryn¬ 
go run five or six feet from the stem, they then die and 
form the vegetable matter or black mould which 
covers the barren rocks that cover the globe. Nature 
herself realizes the fable of the phoenix. Man, the 
lord of the earth, is subject to the same laws as all 
other created beings ; furnishing after death food for 
others, as myriads have done before; and we trample 
on others alike in beauty and decay. 
The Soil. 
[From the Educator .] 
By this term is meant whatever vegetables, plants, 
trees, &c. grow in. It may to the eye at least, be a 
collection of stones and rocks. It may be a bed of 
partially decomposed vegetable substance mixed with 
small portions of clay or sand—a bog. It may be an 
almost unmixed clay or sand. Still that substance, 
from the midst of which the plant thrusts itself forth, 
and where it grows, is its soil. 
The use of the soil is threefold, First, it is the cra¬ 
dle and dwelling place of the embryo plant and its 
stay and foundation in after growth. It receives the 
seed and retains the roots of the tree and supports it. 
The solid parts of the soil constitute the pillars and 
props which uphold the growing plant. The same 
friendly office continues even after life has parted from 
the leaf and vigor of health died in the stem or trunk. 
The second use of the soil is to furnish food for the 
plant. The first of all the ingredients necessary is 
moisture. The seed cannot expand and tfirust into 
life the embryo tree or plant, without water. The 
absence of this universal solvent make all soils barren. 
Water is the universal physical regenerator of the ve¬ 
getable world. Every seed was alive once ; viz. when 
it grew on its native stem, whence it derived its be¬ 
ing. The plant that bore it died. It died virtually 
itself—it exercises no living energy ; but water- 
moisture, with that heat which it includes, penetrates 
its various parts and swells them into active life ; it is 
regenerate to live, and henceforth, by the power of the 
same element, it continues to grow. What is the sap 
or juice of a plant, but water holding in solution in it¬ 
self, various matters for the nourishment of the plant] 
Take away all the water out of a tree and can it live I 
The cedars of Lebanon and the pines of Alleghany, 
equally with the weeds of our gardens and the green 
moss that mantles the stagnant pool, are dependent 
upon water for their growth. Now the soil is a 
sponge full of water, ready to be applied to the parch¬ 
ed lips of the plant it nourishes. This water is a sol¬ 
vent ; that is, it dissolves in itself the various substances 
which go to form the body of the plant, just as sugar 
is dissolved in tea; and thus the water, which in the 
soil is a solvent, also becomes a vehicle to carry the 
food up the pores of the plant and to distribute it into 
all its parts ; as in our mighty rivers and the great 
ocean itself, the water is the great transporter of all 
goods. The very power which calls the plant into 
life, continues its vivifying influence to sustain and 
carry on that life. Analogous to this, is the agency 
of water in animal life. Our bodies are equally de¬ 
pendent for their life, on the active agency of water. 
A similar analogy exists in regard to mind—there is 
a spiritual water. 
But the soil not only contains this indispensable sol¬ 
vent ; it also consists of various ingredients, which be¬ 
come mutual solvents. The different kinds of earths 
act upon each other, and, especially by the aid of wa¬ 
ter, act upon the vegetable matter mixed up with the 
soil, and so reduce it to that state in which it becomes 
the food of plants. Now it will be obvious, that the 
goodness of soil, must depend upon its capacity to 
prop up the plants, and to supply them with food. If 
they be well propped up and well supplied with good 
food, they must grow well: provided, they be not out 
of their latitude, 
These remaks are intended to convince our agri¬ 
cultural readers, that an inquiry into the nature and 
use of soil, is not a useless speculation : nor is it 
a dry and uninteresting subject. Science lies at the 
basis of all art, and it is our wish to aid in lifting up 
terraculture to the dignity of a science. That is,° we 
wish the farmer and gardener to understand the na¬ 
ture of their soil, and the laws of that nature, whose 
regular action produces the results at which he aims. 
We wish to see the cultivator not working blindfolded ; 
but understandingly. We wish him to know not on¬ 
ly that some kinds of soils are suited to some kinds of 
plants ; but also why they are so suited—what it is 
in the soil which suits it to this or that particular ve¬ 
getable production. For example, we would have 
the farmer not only to know the general fact, that 
lime spread on a field infested with sorrel will correct 
that evil, but also, why it will so operate. We would 
make the very labor of his hands, the means of en¬ 
larging the capacity, by stimulating the activity of 
his mind. We would have him a student of nature, 
on her most attractive pages, that his soul may expand 
indefinitely as it directs his bodily powers to the most 
profitable exercise. 
The soil as a prop. —If you look at any plant you 
will find its roots are designated first to support it in 
its natural position. They spread round the stem, 
stalk, or trunk, in such manner as to stay it, like the 
bracing of a frame building. Now these braces must 
have a solid basis to rest on : less or more immediate¬ 
ly contiguous to the stalk. Plants that rise high must 
run deep, or have wide spreading roots. The texture 
of the soil—whether stiff and tough clay; loose and 
open sand ; moist and almost liquid marsh, or rocks 
with little minutely divided matter among them ; the 
texture of the soil and the nature of the plant ought 
to be adapted to one another, and will determine the 
depth or width to which the roots will extend. In 
fibrous rooted plants, such as wheat, rye, oats, it is 
obvious that porous, open soils will afford the roots 
the best opportunity to run deep and wide. Whereas 
close, clay soils resist their passage, and confining 
their range, are unfriendly. Hence one way in which 
lime is profitable, is by changing the texture of clay 
lands. It combines with the clay, and causes the 
mass to granulate or assume the appearance of fine 
sand. So enabling the roots to spread and the air to 
penetrate the deeper into the soil. So whatever 
causes the soil to cake, to become stiff and glazed, as 
it were, on the top, must become injurious. Whether 
this is not an effect of anthracite coal ashes, remains 
to be decided. The small experiments I have made 
induce me toward this belief. 
