THE CULTIVATOR. 
27 
farther subjected to the action of several fluid secretions derived 
from large glandular organs situated in the neighborhood, as the 
liver (L,) and the pancreas; and elabora'ed into the fluid which is 
termed chyle. 
The chyle is taken up by a particular set of vessels, called the 
lacteals, which transmit it to the heart (H.) These vessels are 
exceedingly numerous, and arise by open orifices from the inner 
surface of the intestines, whence they absorb, or drink up the 
chyle. They may be compared to internal roots, which unite as 
they ascend along the mesentery (M,) or membrane connecting the 
intestines with the back; forming larger and larger trunks, till they 
terminate into an intermediate reservoir (R,) which has been nam¬ 
ed the receptacle of the chyle. From this receptacle then pro¬ 
ceeds a tube, which, from its passing through the thorax, is called 
the thoracic duct (T;) it ascends along the side of the spine, 
which protects it from compression, and opens at V, into the large 
veins which are pouring their contents into the auricle, or first ca¬ 
vity of the heart, (U,) whence it immediately passes into the ven¬ 
tricle, or second cavity of that organ (H.) Such, in the more per¬ 
fect animals, is the circuitous and guarded route, which every par¬ 
ticle of nourishment must take before it can be added to the gene¬ 
ral mass of circulating fluid. 
“ By its- admixture with the blood already contained in these ves¬ 
sels, and its purification by the action of the air in the respiratory 
organs (B,) the chyle becomes assimilated, and is distributed by 
the heart, through appropriate channels of circulation called arte¬ 
ries, (of which the common trunk, or aorta, is seen at A,) to eve¬ 
ry part of the system; thence returning by the veins (v, v, v,) to 
the heart. The various modes in which these functions are con 
ducted in the several tribes of animals will be described hereafter. 
It will be sufficient for our present purpose to state, by way of 
completing the outline of this class of functions, that, like the re¬ 
turning sap of plants, the blood is made to undergo farther modifi¬ 
cations in the minute vessels through which it circulates; new ar¬ 
rangements of its elements take place during its passage through 
the subtle organization of the glands, which no microscope has yet 
unravelled: new products are here formed, and new properties ac 
quired, adapted to the respective purposes which they are to serve 
in the animal economy. The whole is one vast laboratory, where 
mechanism is subservient to chemistry, where chemistry is the 
agent of the higher powers of vitality, and where these powers 
themselves minister to the more exalted faculties of sensation and 
intellect.” 
NOTES ON FARMING. —from my memorandum book, 
lime. 
By the fermentation it induces, the earth is opened and divided; 
and, by its absorbent and alkaline qualities, it unites the oily and 
watery part3 of the soil. It seems also to possess the property of 
collecting the acid of the air, and of forming with it a combination 
of great use in vegetation. Thus robbing the soil of its oily parti¬ 
cles, it will in time render it barren, unless supported with manures 
of an oily nature.— Geo. Ess. p. 29- Its great use upon a sandy 
soil is, by mechanically binding the loose particles, and thereby pre¬ 
venting the liquid parts of the manure from escaping out of the 
reach of the radical fibres of the plants.— Id. 30. Upon clay the 
effect is different: for by means of the gentle fermentation it indu¬ 
ces, the unsubdued soil is opened and divided; the manures laid on 
regularly, come in contact with every part of it, and the fibres of 
the plants have full liberty to spread themselves.— Id. 28. Al¬ 
though we cannot describe all the soils that lime will operate bene¬ 
ficially upon, we can specify some upon which it does operate well. 
1. Upon all soils, being drained, which contain an abundance of lig¬ 
neous or woody matter, as reclaimed swamps, and upon those con¬ 
taining insoluble vegetable matter, i. e. matters which will not dis¬ 
solve in water, by reason of the r chemical combination, quick lime 
will be beneficial, by rendering the inert matter soluble, and fitting 
it to become the food of plants. 2. Upon all soils deficient in cal¬ 
careous matter, or carbonate of lime, be they even stiff clays or po¬ 
rous sands, mild lime, or lime that has become saturated with car¬ 
bonic acid, is unquestionably beneficial. It corrects the mechani¬ 
cal defects of clays and sands—renders manures more beneficial, and 
droughts less prejudicial. Quick lime soon becomes mild lime after 
it is commingled with the soil. As a general rule, carbonate of 
lime is beneficial upon all soils belonging to the primitive forma¬ 
tion, and to transition formations that are deficient in this earth._ 
In the use of this mineral, we see the importance of knowing the 
constituents of soils. 
MARL. 
Lime mixed with clay, comes nearest to marl of any fictitious 
body that we know of.— Geo. Ess.p. 28. Marl is generally a com¬ 
bination of clay and lime, as in blue and other clay containing this 
carbonate; or of lime and sand, as in shell marl. The first is best 
fitted for a sand, the latter for a clay soil. 
MANURING 
Was held in such high estimation by the Romans, that immorta¬ 
lity was given to Stuentius for the invention. They collected it 
from every source which has been thought of by the moderns, ve¬ 
getable, animal and mineral, territorial, aquatic and marine. Ani¬ 
mal dung was divided into three kinds, that which is produced by 
birds, by men, and by cattle. Pigeon dung was preferred to all, 
and next human ordure and urine. Pigeon dung was applied as a 
top-dressing; and human dung, mixed with the cleanings of the 
villa, and with urine, was applied to the roots of the vine and olive. 
Dunghills were directed to be placed near the villa, their bottoms 
hollowed out to retain the moisture, and their sides and tops de¬ 
fended from the sun by twigs and leaves.— Enc. of Ag. p. 25.—- 
Good farmers know how to prize and to economise the food for their 
animals—they save even the crumbs—but few, very few, are equal¬ 
ly careful of the food of vegetables, which are to feed and fatten 
their animals. What an astonishing quantity of the latter is disre¬ 
garded or wasted upon our best managed farms. Every substance 
which has formed a part of a vegetable or an animal, however dis¬ 
gusting, is convertible into the food of vegetables. The urine of 
animals, which with us all runs to waste; the dung of fowls, which 
we generally disregard; all vegetable and animal matters which 
taint the atmosphere; the filth about our dwellings, the refuse and 
slops of our kitchens, which are seldom husbanded; and the ashes 
from our hearths, all afford materials upon which plants live, grow 
and multiply their increase. Not a particle of vegetable or animal 
matter is destructible. It may die, wither and rot—it may be re¬ 
duced to a fluid, nay, a gaseous state—and become invisible to the 
eye—and yet it is not lost, not destroyed, however often it may 
change its form. These elements, controlled by natural laws, will 
again unite, assume an organic form, and become again parts of 
vegetables and animals. Truly “ all flesh is but grass.” 
PRESERVING WHEAT FROM SMUT. 
The French chemists have multiplied experiments to preserve 
wheat from the disease which is indiscriminately named blight, 
smut, Sic. This is w r ell ascertained to proceed from microscopic 
grains, or atoms of black dust, which germinate, reproduce them¬ 
selves, and take possession of the ear. In the Bibliothique Physi - 
co-Economique, liming, by immersion, is said to be the only preven¬ 
tive, warranted by science, and sanctioned by experience. The di¬ 
rections given for this operation enjoin, that in order to destroy this 
germ in 4j bushels of wheat, six or seven gallons of wa'er must be 
employed, according to the greater or less dryness of the grain, and 
from 2 lbs. 3 oz. to 2 lbs. 10 oz. of quick lime, according as its qua¬ 
lity is more or less active, or to-the greater or less degree of smdt in 
the corn. Bale a part of the water, and slake the lime with it, after 
which add the remainder of the water. The heat of the whole of 
the liquid ought to be such as that we can with difficulty bear the 
hand in it. Then gently pour the lime water upon the grain placed 
in a tub, stirring it without ceasing, at first with a flat stick, and 
afterwards with a shovel. The liquor should at first be three or 
four fingers breadth over the level of the wheat. Leave the grain 
to soak twenty-four hours, turning it five or six times, when it may 
be sown. 
Grain limed by immersion, does not incommode the sower, like 
that which is limed in the ordinary way. It adheres like a varnish 
to the surface of the grain; its germination is quicker, and, as it 
carries with it moisture enough to develope the embryo, the wheat 
will not suffer for want of rain; insects will not attack it, as they 
cannot bear the acrid taste of lime.— See Rep. of Arts, v. 34.— 
The utility of lime in preventing smut is well known to many of 
our farmers; but the mode of doing it by immersion, according to 
the above directions, has manifest advantages over the common 
mode of using it in a dry state. 
