“Thus carbon and sulfur are both solid elements, one black and the other yellow, as generally found.  If these two elements are mixed together under ordinary conditions no change occurs.  The result is simply a mixture of carbon and sulfur.  But, if this mixture is heated in a retort which excludes the air, the carbon and sulfur unite into a chemical compound called carbon disulfid.  This compound is neither black, yellow, nor solid; but it is a colorless, limpid liquid; and yet it contains absolutely nothing except carbon and sulfur.”

“That seems strange,” remarked Mr. Thornton.  “Yes, but similar changes are going on about us all the time,” replied Percy.  “We put ten pounds of solid black coal in the stove and an hour later we find nothing there, except a few ounces of ashes which represent the impurities in the coal.”

“Well, the coal is burned up and destroyed, is it not?”

“The carbon is burned and changed, but not destroyed.  In this case, the heat has caused the carbon to unite with the element oxygen which exists in the air in the form of a gas, and a chemical compound is formed which we call carbon dioxid.  This compound is a colorless gas.  This element oxygen enters the vent of the stove and the compound carbon dioxid passes off through the chimney.  If there is any smoke, it is due to small particles of unburned carbon or other colored substances.

“As a rule more or less sulfur is contained in coal, wood, and other organic matter, and this also is burned to sulfur dioxid and carried into the air, from which it is brought back to the soil in rain in ample amounts to supply all of the sulfur required by plants.

“Everywhere over the earth the atmosphere contains some carbon dioxid and this compound furnishes all agricultural plants their necessary supply of both carbon and oxygen.  In other words, these are the two elements that plants secure from the air.  The gas, carbon dioxid, passes into the plant through the breathing pores on the under side of the leaves.  These are microscopic openings but very numerous.  A square inch of a corn leaf may have a hundred thousand breathing pores.”

“Now, as we go on, I am especially anxious to get at this question of supply and demand,” said Mr. Thornton.  “I think I understand about iron and sulfur, and also that these two elements, carbon and oxygen, are both contained in the air in the compound called carbon dioxid, and that this must supply our crops with those two elements of plant food.  I’d like to know about the supply.  How much is there in the air and how much do the crops require?”

“As you know,” said Percy, “the atmospheric pressure is about fifteen pounds to the square inch.”

“Yes, I’ve heard that, I know.”

“Well, that means, of course, that there are fifteen pounds of air resting on every square inch of the earth’s surface; in other words, that a column of air one inch square and as high as the air goes, perhaps fifty miles or more, weighs fifteen pounds.”