Elements Of Agricultural Chemistry In A Course Of Lectures

Front matter

ELEMENTS

AGKICULTTJKAL CHEMISTEY,

IN A

Contents

Advertisement, . . . . . iii.

LECTURE I.

INTRODUCTION, ..... 1

Appendix To Lecture III

Boussingault's Tables of the Comparative Nutritive Power of Aliments, 85

Antoine's Table of Comparative Value of Fodders, . .86

Remarks on Tables of Equivalents, 87

Boussingault's Tables of Ultimate Analyses of Field-crops, . 88

LECTURE IV.

Constituents of Soils, . . . . 89 Composition of Rocks and Minerals from which Soils are Derived, 90

Saline Constituents of Soils, . . . .93

Apparatus for the Analysis of Soils, ... 94

Method of Determining the Density of Soils, . . 97

Analysis of Soils, . . . . .98

Estimation of Water, ib.

Separation of Impalpable Matter from Coarser Parts, . . 99

Analysis of Impalpable Matter, . . . 100

Analysis of Saline Matter, , . . .102

Statement of Results, . . .103

Texture of Soils, . . . . .104

CONTENTS.

Alkaline Bases, Liebig's Theory of their Replacement, . 107

Effects of Heat on Soils and Seeds, . . .109

States in which Water exists in Soils, . . . HO

Absorbent Power of Soils, . . . .111

Texture of Soils, . . . . .113

Draining, Subsoiling, and Trench Ploughing, . .114

Formation of Soils, . . . 116

Distribution of Rocks, . . . . .120

Classification and Nomenclature of Soils, . . 122

Composition of Fertile Soils, . . . ,125

Improvement of Soils, . . . .126

Appendix To Lecture IV

Schubler's Classification and Nomenclature of Soils, . . 128

Directions for Identifying Soils, . . . 131

ANALYSIS OF SOUS,

Mechanical or Textural Analysis, . . . .132

Separation and Estimation of impalpable matter, . . 133

Estimation of Small Stones, Grit, and Sand, . . .134

Examination of the same, ib.

Estimation of Lime in coarser parts, . . .135

Organic Matter in the same, . . . . 136

Organic Matter b impalpable portion, . . . ib.

Estimation of Lime in the same, . . . 137

Statement of Results, . . . . . ib.

Chemical Analysis of Soils, ib.

Qualitative Examination of the Saline Matters of the Soil, Soluble in

Quantitative Analysis of the same, , . .143

Analysis of Impalpable Matter, . . . 149

Remarks on the Organic Constituents of Soils, . .156

Statement of Results, . . . . 159

LECTURE V.

Nature and Constitution of the Atmosphere, . . .161

Watery Vapour of the Atmosphere, . . . ib.

Influence of Frost on Soils, . . . .163

Carbonic Acid of the Atmosphere, . . ib.

Germination of Seeds, . . . . .166

Conversion of Starch into Sugar, . . . ib.

Turnip Fly, . . . . 163 Absorption of Carbonic Acid by Plants, and Evolution of Oxygen, 171

Plants Possess no True Respiratory Function, . , 177

Theory of the Assimilation of Carbon, . . . 178

Sources of Nitrogen, . . . . .180

Ripening of the Wood, , . . . .188

Decay of Old Varieties of Fruit Trees, . . . 189

Origin of Cultivated Varieties of Plants, . . .191

Hybridation, . . , . .192

Till. CONTENTS.

Acclimatation of Plants, . . * , .194

Mildew, Smut, and Bunt, . . . .195

LECTURE VI.

MANURES OF VEGETABLE AND ANIMAL ORIGIN.

Pood of Plants, . . . . .198

Humus and Humates not Directly the Food of Plants, . 200

Decay of Woody Tissue, .... 202

Decay of Organic Matter, .... 203

Plants Ploughed in Green as Manure, . . . 206

Eape-Cake, Malt-Dust as Manures, . . 209

Composition of the Ash of Straw, . . . .213

Composition of the Ash of Stubble, . * . 214

Peat Compost, ..... 215

Animalised Carbon, . . . . .218

Fish Refuse, ..... 219

Oil and Blubber, . . . . * 221

Bone-Dust Prepared with Sulphuric Acid, . . . 224

Composition and Action of Bones, . . , 226

Hair, Horn, Woollen Rags, &c., .... 227

Methods of Saving, Fixing, and Applying Urine, . .231

Recent Dung of Sea-Birds, . . . .235

Excrements of Horses and Cattle, . . . .237