accident, but by natural methods and natural laws. The material for this department is obtained partly from the mineral kingdom, but mostly from the atmosphere. This department, too, like all others in this great factory, is furnished with all the powers and appliances uecessary for its work. Hence the soil is endowed with powers of absorption by which it takes up gaseous matter rising through the rocks from beneath, draws in what atmospheric air is necessary, and absorbs from the atmosphere resting on it, as well as from what is passing through it, what moisture and gaseous matter it may contain. The soil thus prepared by natural methods is not an aggregation of raw material merely, drawn from these differeut sources, but a bundle of forces by which this raw material is worked up into a form of matter out of which vegetable life starts and from which vegetable matter is drawn. What is the nature and form of this matter out of which vegetable life starts, and what are the forces employed in starting it? It will pay us to spend a few moments here with scientific men.

In tracing back the history of a plant through its organism to the material of which it is composed, it is discovered that all plants originate in the same kind of matter. This matter is composed of what is called the four organic elements, namely: Oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen. These elements are formed in the following compounds, namely: Water, carbonic acid and ammonia. These compounds, when brought together under certain conditions, give rise to a still more complex body of matter, from which arises the phenomena of life. This complex body of matter, formed of water, carbonic acid and ammonia, is called by Huxley-one of ths deepest thinkers of the day-Protoplasm, or the Physical Basis of Life. By Haeckel, who is not any behind him as an analyzer of natural phenomena, it is called Germinal matter, that is, that kind of matter in which the germs of vegetable life are formed. Others still more emphatic, call it the "Matter of Life." We find this same kind of matter treasured up in the seeds of all plants to be deposited in the soil again as germinal matter. But from the fact that all plants rise out of this kind of matter, and that we find plants growing now where no seed has been sown, and where it is hardly possible they could have found their way, we are forced to this conclusion, that under proper conditions this 'matter of life' is formed in the soil by natural processes, and that in the early for

mation of soil, and even in the present day, where no seeds are furnished, plants have their origin in this way.

But on this particular point, Moses, rather than Huxley or Haeckel, is the best authority. On this part of the work of creation we have in his own language the following: "And God said, let the earth bring forth grass; the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself upon the earth." Mark the language. Let the earth bring forth. In this beautiful sketch of the divine plan of creation, we have brought out in plain language the fact which science is trying to explain, namely: To the earth-that is the soil-under certain physical conditions, is given the power to give birth to vegetable life. From this we may infer that the treasuring up of a portion of this germinal matter in the seeds of plants, was a subsequent provision, adapting it to the wants of the human race, inasmuch as it allows more to select from for cultivation among the natural products of the soil and such plants as are best adapted to man's wants.

Now let us return again to our little film of dust, forming as we now know it is, not only from the dust of decaying minerals, but from gaseous matter gathered from the atmosphere, and other sources by the power of absorption with which it is peculiarly endowed, and by which it is enabled to build itself up, and restore its wasted powers from the common matter of the universe. It is interesting to remember also, as we come back again to watch and study those "Natural Methods," that here too are concentrated the natural forces of the vegetable kingdom. Like laborers in a factory, the Physical, Chemical, and Vital forces are each in their own department. Some taking this raw material to pieces, others putting it together again in other forms, while still others with a more refined process, appear to be infusing into this dead matter, the principles of life. Our investigations must be carried on with caution here, for we are on the verge of the vegetable kingdom, and almost in the presence of its phenomena and forces. Indeed, with more extended vision, and a keener sense of hearing, we should no doubt witness the activity of force here set up, and listen with delight to the clashing of atoms as matter is being prepared and transferred from the mineral and gaseous condition into the vegetable forms of life. But while these forces and their modes of operation are beyond the range of our senses, we infer their exis

tence and activities from the changes going on in matters before

our eyes.

If now we take our stand squarely on scientific ground, and pursue our investigations with scientific appliances, the first tangible form of reconstructed matter that we find in the soil will be a small speck or granule of matter, microscopic at first, but by rapid growth soon within the range of vision. This little speck of matter, scientific men would call a structureless bit of Protoplasm, or Germinal matter; but to the casual observer it looks like the product of the mineral kingdom, a little crystal for instance such as we often find forming from mineral solutions. A little farther developed, however, and we notice its cellular structure; then we know it is not a mineral, not the work of chemical forces, for it is assuming the form of living matter. If, however, we analyze this speck of matter, it will, we are told, separate into water, carbonic acid and ammonia. These compounds are the work of chemical forces, but to bring them together into this more complex form of matter, is the work of a higher class. Here we find ourselves on the line that separates the inorganic from the organic, and to follow this speck of matter further, we must step into the vegetable kingdom. Here it assumes a Germinal form, and under the influence of moisture and heat, we notice a little root starting down into this thin layer of soil-forming material. From this root starts out in every direction little rootlets or numberless little thread-like fibers, traversing the soil in all directions in search of plant-forming matter, which it conveys to the plant for its support. At the same time, or nearly so, starts a little blade upward through the soil into the air and sunlight. It is now to all intents and purposes a little plant with its roots fastened in the soil in the presence of solvents and compounds, and its blade and branches bathed in an atmosphere of moisture and sunlight. This plant is endowed with wonderful powers or forces by which the plant-forming matter of the soil, and the plant forming matter of the air is drawn towards it, by an elective attraction possessed alike by the roots and the blade, and it absorbs from both sources the material necessary for its growth and development.

Here we have one of the most refined processes of "Natural Methods." The plant is an instrument by which this widly-diffused matter is brought together, mixed in given proportions and then un

der the sun-light is converted into vegetable organism, only that it may be taken to pieces again to furnish prepared matter and force or forces, to be used again in some other department of nature. This matter and force, however, before it is fit for use again, must be taken to pieces and otherwise prepared. Hence we are called upon here in the vegetable kingdom to witness what we have always witnessed in the mineral kingdom, namely, the disintegration and consequent distribution of one form of matter, to furnish material and force for building up other and higher forms. That is, we are called upon here to witness the disintegration and decay of those beautiful forms of vegetable matter, to furnish matter and force to be used in building up animal forms.

But while a part of this decomposing vegetable matter, and I may add a part of the forces imprisoned in the plant is transferred to this higher department of organization, the remainder, and perhaps the larger portion, is returned to the soil as soil-forming material. And even that which is transferred to the animal kingdom and transformed into animal forms, is, when the purposes of life are served, returned again to the soil to be worked up into new vegetable forms. Not only then, of those mineral forms in the mineral kingdom, but of those vegetable forms in the vegetable kingdom, and of those animal forms in the animal kingdom, it may be said, as it was said of man when he first rose from the matter of life, "Dust thou art and unto dust thou shalt return."

It is from this dust, with what gaseous matter it absorbs directly or indirectly from the atmosphere, that nature forms our soil. But this heterogeneous layer of dirt is not of itself plant-food, but the material out of which plant-food is prepared. Nor is it so much upon the kind of matter forming the soil, as it is upon its condition, that the fertility of the soil depends.

If we watch the process of plant formation, we find that nearly nine-tenths of the matter entering into its composition, enter it as water and carbonic acid, the remainder as ammonia, potassa, soda, lime, magnesia, alumina, oxide of iron, oxide of manganese, silica, sulphuric acid, phosphoric acid and chlorine, and it may be one or two other compounds of minor importance. The first two-and as I have said, nearly nine-tenths of the whole-namely, water and carbonic acid and perhaps ammonia, are derived mostly from the atmosphere, partly through the stalk and leaves of the plant, and

partly through the soil and roots. The remainder is dissolved out of mineral matter furnished by the rocks, either in its compound condition, or subsequently formed in the soil out of its free elements. In the relation here established between the soil and the plant, nature furnishes us with the following facts that we should remember in all our processes of culture.

1. No plant can live upon the uncompounded elements of nature. These elements must be formed into certain definite compounds by chemical forces, before they can be used as plant-food.

2. No plant can live upon solid matter. These compounds must be dissolved in a fluid before they are in a condition to be taken up by the thread like fibers of the root, and to enter the cellular structure of the plant. These absolute conditions of matter in the soil necessitates certain forms of force there; as do also the germination and growth of plants. In confirmation of this, let us look for a moment at a growing plant. Here we notice not only form but force; that is, we notice not only matter entering into its composition, but a manipulation of force by which it grows and developes. Now inasmuch as a plant cannot create a particle of the matter of which it is formed, neither can it create a particle of the force by which it grows. We have just seen where the matter comes from. Whence the force? Let us turn our attention in this direction for a moment.

At the beginning of this paper I noticed the fact that, no sooner is new-made rock lifted up into the atmosphere than the work of disentegration commences. That these disintegrating and dissolving forces are of atmospheric origin, I think there can be no doubt. And in the fully developed soil, it is to the free circulation of atmospheric air more than to any other cause that we are indebted for those physical and chemical forces, without which soil and plant formation cannot be carried on. It acts not only upon the rocks, the mineral matter upon which the soil rests, and of which it is partly formed, but upon the decaying animal and vegetable remains with which it is continually replenished.

I have stated that near nine-tenths of the matter entering into plant-formation, enters as carbonic acid and water. But before taking their places in the structure of the plant, these compounds are decomposed in the leaves by the action of sunlight, the carbon of the acid and the hydrogen of the water only are used in building