Southern planter - The W&M Digital Archive

428 THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. [July
from 32 to 34.8 per cent., while the oxygen
in the atmosphere is but 21 per cent, as be-
fore stated, oxygen being more soluble in
water than nitrogen.
This dissolved, but not chemically combined
oxygen, is essentially necessary for the
life of fishes, and of all sub-aqueous animals,
and the rain supplies it in part; while subaqueous
vegetation, under influence of sunlight,
also contributes to furnish oxygen
and at the same time, the plant withdraws
carbonic acid from the water.
After a long season of drought, water in
our small lakes and pools, becomes stagnant,
as happened a few years since to Cochituate
Lake, which supplies Boston with water by
the water from the peculiar taste and smell, |
which for some months so annoyed our citi-
zens, and that the microscopic confervae i
gradually diminished in quantities, if it has,
not wholly disappeared. The Cyclops cer-
tainly is quite abundant, when the water is
the sweetest and considered most pure. We
wish to discharge these animalculae from any
imputation of having tainted the waters of,
Cochituate Lake, for we believe that they
were not guilty. Pray, reader, excuse this
j
digression, for this matter was once a subject
of animated dispute in this city, and the
public generally do not know how the question
was finally disposed of. We give our
opinion, for what it may be worth, observing
at the same time, that for years this sub-
ject has been one of frequent researches in
j
our laboratory; and has also been duly in-
vestigated, with the same results, in the sci-
j
entific school of Cambridge; Prof. Horsford
having first noticed the microscopic confer-
vae in the water, and mentioned then in his
Report to the water board.
The sun's rays have the power of aiding
in the formation of organic matters. By
their aid the foliage of plants, whether subaerial
or sub-aquatic, decompose the carbonic
acid gas of the air, or that dissolved in water.
Only the lowest orders of vegetable
life can grow in darkness, namely, the Fungi,
(mushrooms, etc.) which it is well known
will grow in the darkness of the catacombs 4
Paris, or in the galleries of mines, where no
j
I
j
light enters.
The higher orders of vegetable life require
sun-light for their growth, and their
power of abstracting carbon from this gas is
truly wonderful, especially when we know,
from chemical experiments, that the most
its aqueduct. Then immense quantities of powerful of our electro-positive elements
microscopic confervas, of a bright green col- potassium, is required, and that, too, at a
or, appeared in the water, and it had then a red heat, to decompose carbonic acid, so as
peculiar disagreeable taste and smell, which to set free its carbon while the oxygen com-
was compared to that of cucumbers, and by bines with potassium to form potash. Now
some to that of fishes, but which really was the plant takes the carbon, and liberates the
nothing more than the odor of this micro- oxygen from this gas; two atoms of oxygen
scopic plant. It seems that this low order for every atom of carbon which it absorbs.
of vegetation is favored by the diminished Dumas says, if we place a branch of a tree,
supply of oxygen from rain, and the preva- in full foliage, in a globe, and blow a blast
lence of* carbonic acid in the water. Whe- of air over the confined foliage, while the
ther the subsequent rains, or the sudden in- sun shines on it, all the carbonic acid will
crease of minute Crustacea, Cyclops, Daph-j be taken from the air by the plant, during
nea, etc., caused the disappearance of these this momentary contact with the leaves of
confervas, we do not know; but it is certain the plant. It is a certain fact of science,
that a large increase of these minute crea- and not a mere figure of speech, when we
tures suddenly accompanied the clearing of; say, we draw the air into our lungs, and throw
it forth unfit for animal respiration; the
leaves of the trees catch this foul air and
return it to us in
and fuel.
the form of fruit, flowers
Enterprise and Obstacles.
No higher eulogy, aside from considerations
of a religious nature, can be pronounced
upon any man, than that he was one possessed
of energy of character commensurate
with every undertaking—an ardor vigorous
enough to surmount all difficulties, especially
such as came inadvertently in his way.
That he could sever the gordion knot of difficulty
by one masterly blow; and that he
was one of those fearless, resolute, and enterprising
men, who, when thrown upon the
world without friends and without resources,
could make his progress through it smooth
and triumphant, and could even gather
grapes of thorns, and figs of thistles.
Under any circumstances, no matter how
unfavorable, to rise from an humble station
in life to places of eminence and usefulness,