IF THE SUN WENT OUT.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 508, 15 May 1909, Page 11

IF THE SUN WENT OUT.

; The modern chemist points proudly to his synthetic (imitation ot bodies by building them.up from others) triumphs, but with all his skill and knowledge ho has not yet succeeded in proparing in practical quantities for his fellow-men a food-stuff from its elements. The synthetic processes of the plant axe so far inimitable, and tho plant is after all both the direct and indirect food of the, animal. The relations between plants and animals form a boautiful. dispensation, and for the vegetable kingdom man should hold a deep reverence and do his best to extend and promote its faithful offices.' . Whether his views are in favour of the exclusive diet of vegetable or of a , diet containing both animal and vegetable products he owes the vegetable-world moro than ono,deht. He is ,at the mercy of tho vegetable for his food, whether it bo animal or vegetable, and he may be. at the mercy of the vegetable for a supply of oxygen, without' which the vital processes of his organism oould not be. sustained. It is thus conceivable that as the animal kingdom exists only by. virtue of a continual combustion process, in -which air is taken up while carbon dioxide is liberated, the loss of an agency which not only removes this: product ,of respiration but sends,,back oxygen'in its placo' would be disastrous.-This agency is, of course, and, in short, ;the animal and tho : plant are interdependent on each other. ' t t '• On this line of reasoning, animal life wouldi be, extinguished if vegotablo life ceased; and 1 vegetablo life would fail if animal'products were ; not available for its sustenance. This, is ■ an' interesting cycle' of' events, but the performance of a cycle implies a force and the motive power of these alternate and groat synthetical and analytical processes is light. It may happen, therefore,-the "Lancet" duces from those promises, that a, horrible struggle for existence between plants and ani-. mals might ensue if.,,for: any considerable; period tho sun was shot out from the world, for then this agreeable interchange of mutually advantageous exhalation would cease and ■with it all life. "Were those, who worshipped the sun ignorant of these things? or did they realise that it was the source of both food and air?—" Science Siftincß."