INDIANA   FARMER.
VOL   II.]
Devoted lo Agrlcultore, Horticulture, Mechanics and the Usefnl Arts.
[NO   1.
«;. T."o.'r,nri ™<— )    Richmond, ind., September l mi.    (
II o I I o \r n r  &  Co.,
rUBMSIIERB.
COMM UNICATIONS.
For the Indiana Farmer
SCIENTIFIC AGRICULTURE—No. 10.
BY PROFESSOR   B. LAWRENCE.
Inorganic Elements of Plants.
Messrs. Editors;—In previous numbers I
have endeavored to explain in the shortest, and
plainest manner possible, what are the constituent elements of plants, and from whence derived. A knowledge of these things raises agriculture to the dignity of an intellectual profession, and renders the practice of it delightful;
without which, it is a round of unmeaning toil
and drudgery.
As this number is to appear in the commencement of a new volume of your paper, and
you expect a large accession to the number of
your readers, I shall recapitulate one or two of
the most important ideas advanced in the previous numbers. The constituent element of all
plants are divided into two classes, viz. the organic and the inorganic. The former consist of
only four simple substances, viz. carbon, oxygen,
hydrogen and nitrogen. This is the order in
which they occur as to quantity; that is, there
is more carbon in all plants, than there is of
oxygen; there is more oxygen than there is of
hydrogen, and more hydrogen than there is <■>!
nitrogen. Carbon, when in its simple sr*te, or
uncombined with any thing else, ic a solid, as
charcoal, the diamond &c. ..Trie other three
can exist alone only in 0»i form of gases, invisible, as air. The?- constitute the greater
portion of all plants and even animals. This
is shown b" burning them, as the organic portion is combustible, and the inorganic is not.
Every one knows that when vegetable substances are burned, the greater part, both of their
bulk and weight disappears; this is the organic
portion. But thert is always a small quantity
of a greyish powder left, called ashes. This is
the inorganic portion, which is incombustible;
and though the quantity is small, oftentimes
very small, yet it is absolutely necessary to the
growth and maturity of plants. Now the ashes
of plants consist of various earthy substances,
and thej' were derived from the earth throusrh
their roots; whereas the organic elements, when
plants arc burned,  are converted into invisible
gases or air, and mingle with the atmosphere;
for they were derived from it, and on the destruction of plants they return again to it—their
original source. Thus we see that one class of
the elements of plants is earthy, and returns
to the earth when they are decomposed; the
other class is aerial, and returns to^the air when
set at liberty by their decomposition. The natural decay of vegetable substances, such as
wood, hay, straw, leaves &c. is precisely the
same process as that which takes place when
they are burned. The only difference is in the
time which it takes to effect it. When they are
burned, the process is effected in a few minutes
or hours at most; whereas the process of natural decay requires months, and sometimes
years.
Those who have attentively read what has
been said above, and especially in the proceeding numbers will be prepared to appreciate, in
some degree, the importance of a knowledge of
the constituent elements of plants. And as I
have already treated of the organic elements,
I shall hereafter treat only of the inorganic
elements, or earthy portion of plants. And
though these constitute much the smallest portion, yp* they are much the greatest in number;
and the right understanding and management of
them, is the great secret of success in practical
farming.
The names of these inorganic elements arc
the following;—mentioned in the order of their
supposed relative importance. In this order I
shall treat of them in future numbers until I
have disposed of them all. Lime, magnesia,
potash, soda, sibica (or earth of flints,) alumina,
iron, and manganese (in the state of oxides,)
phosphorus, sulphur, chlorine, and iodine.
There are no plants that contain flll theso
substances, and there arc none without some of
them. There is no doubt that the properties or
qualities of plants depend, in a great measure,
upon the peculiarities of the inorganic elements
which they contain. Each plant requires a
certain number, and no more. This may bo
from one or two, to five or six, and it will have
no others. Every plant also requires a certain
quantity of each ol the kinds of its choice, and
it will receive no more, nor will it be content,
or flourish well with less.