AGRICULTURAL.

From the 7eaneSsee) NlturoList. Agricultural Chemistry.
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All substances in nature contain a large proportion of carbon. It is found pure alone in the diamond, but charcoal is pretty nearly pure carbon. Agr- cultural readers are aware that wood confined ill any way, with enough air merely to keep the flame alive, till all the watery and airy particles are driven of, forms charcoal. Though prepared in the best manner, there will be small amount of earthly and saline matter coll tained in it..

 Charcoal heated in the air. burns with very little flame, and wholly disappears, with the exception of small ash resi- dum. When burnt, it is converted into carbonic acid gas, which ascends, when not confined, and minglcs with the atmosphere. It is light aud porus may be seen through with micros cope, and can be very easily blown through. The diamond and backlead, or plumbago, which are carbon in all. other form, are much more dense, and consequently much heavier The form is times. and the latter 9 l,2 hea- vier than charcoal. The diamond may be burnt in oxygen gas, and, like char coal, it disappears III the form of car bonic acid gas.

 All plants, in a dry state, countain about fifty per cent. of carbon.

 lCharcoaI serves several important pur- poses

 l. From their porosity, they are ca pablo of absorbing, in large quantities, 'the gaseous substances and vapors which exist in the atmosphere"

 9. They also separate from liquids all impurities. Even port wine passing through charcoal will be rendered col oress, and casks with inside charred. will preserve water considerable lime.

 3. Putridty in flesh will be removed by the use of charcoal and disagreea- ble ordorsal also destroyed : as is evin- ced by combining it with night soil. which by its use is converted into DOT table and most valuable manure. There is little doubt also that charcoalS con- centrate the amonia of the atmosphere. and thereby contribute to the growth of plants. They act mechanically in keeping land porus, and hence charcoal beds are the most permanent manure heaps. As the carbon is converted in- to gas, of course, plants are supplied with it by means of the atmosphere.

 OXYGEN.

 On this important subject, avail my self of the aid of Prof Johnson :-

 "Oxygen is a substance with which we are acquainted only in the gaseous or erlform ' By the unaided senses 1t cannot be distinguished from common air, being void of color, taste, and smell. But if a lighted taper be plunged into it, the flame is wonderfully increased both in size and brilliaucy, and the ta- per burns away with grea, rapidity.

 The effect of this gas upon animal life is of similar kind. When a living animal is introduced into large vessel filled with oxygen, the rapidiiy Of the circulation is increased, all the vnal functions are stimulated and excited, a state Of fever comes on, and after time the animal dies

 By these two characters, the oxygen is distinguished from every other ele- mentary body It exists in the atmos- phere to the amount of 2i per cent. of its bulk, and ill this state of air is pe-