Chemistry in Its Application to Agriculture and Physiology |
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absorbed action affinity agriculture alcohol alkalies Alumina ammonia analysis animal ashes assimilation atmosphere atoms azotized blood body carbonate of lime carbonic acid cause cent charcoal chemical Chemistry Chlorine coal combination with silica combustion common salt composition compounds condition consequence constituents containing nitrogen crops cubic decay decomposed decomposition earth effect eremacausis excrements exist fermentation fertility formation gluten gypsum Hence humic acid humus hydrogen influence inorganic insoluble juice leaves liquid magnesia manganese manure matter nitrate nitric acid nitrogen nourishment nutrition obtained organic oxalic acid oxide oxygen peculiar peroxide of iron Peroxide of manganese phosphate phosphate of lime Phosphoric acid plants possess potash present principle produced proportion protoxide putrefaction quantity roots silica siliceous sand Alumina soda soil soluble solution starch substances sugar sulphate sulphuric acid tain temperature tion transformation urine vegetable volatile wheat whilst wood woody fibre yeast yield
Popular passages
Page 7 - SMYTH'S (Professor) Lectures on Modern History; from the Irruption of the Northern Nations to the close of the American Revolution.
Page 105 - OF THE INORGANIC CONSTITUENTS OF PLANTS. CARBONIC acid, water and ammonia, are necessary for the existence of plants, because they contain the elements from which their organs are formed ; but other substances are likewise requisite for the formation of certain organs destined for special functions peculiar to each family of plants. Plants obtain these substances from inorganic nature. In the ashes left after the incineration of plants, the same substances are found, although in a changed condition....
Page 193 - In respect to the quantity of nitrogen contained in excrements, 100 parts of the urine of a healthy man are equal to 1300 parts of the fresh dung of a horse, according to the analyses of Macaire and Marcet, and to 600 parts of those of a cow.
Page xiv - I shall be happy if I succeed in attracting the attention of men of science to subjects which so well merit to engage their talents and energies. Perfect Agriculture is the true foundation of all trade and industry, — it is the foundation of the riches of states.
Page 45 - By this calculation it can be shown, that the atmosphere contains 3306 billion Ibs. of carbon ; a quantity which amounts to more than the weight of all the plants, and of all the strata of mineral and brown coal, which exist upon the earth. This carbon is, therefore, more than adequate to all the purposes for which it is required. The quantity of carbon contained in seawater is proportionally still greater.
Page 330 - Although the juice was expressed from the grapes in contact with air, under the conditions therefore necessary to cause its fermentation, still this change did not ensue when the juice was heated in close vessels to the temperature of boiling water. When thus treated, it could be preserved for years without losing its property of fermenting. A fresh exposure to the air at any period caused it to ferment. Animal food of every kind, and even the most delicate vegetables, may be preserved unchanged...
Page 145 - The general object of agriculture is to produce, in the most advantageous manner, certain qualities, or a maximum size, in certain parts or organs of particular plants. Now this object can be attained only by the application of those substances which we know to be indispensable to the development of these parts or organs, or by supplying the conditions necessary to the production of the qualities desired. The rules of a rational system of agriculture should enable us, therefore, to give to each plant...
Page 86 - ... forms soluble compounds with all the acids ; and when in contact with certain other substances, it completely resigns its character as an alkali, and is capable of assuming the most various and opposite forms. Formate of ammonia changes, under the influence of a high temperature, into hydrocyanic acid and water, without the separation of any of its elements. Ammonia forms urea, with cyanic acid, and a series of crystalline compounds, with the volatile oils of mustard and bitter almonds.
Page 66 - The roots perform the functions of the leaves from the first moment of their formation ; they extract from the soil their proper nutriment, namely, the carbonic acid generated by the humus. By loosening the soil which surrounds young plants, we favour the access of air, and the formation of carbonic acid ; and on the other hand the quantity of their food is diminished by every difficulty which opposes the renewal of air.
Page 299 - Eremacausis (or decay) differs from fermentation and putrefaction, inasmuch as it cannot take place without the access of air, the oxygen of which is absorbed by the decaying bodies. Hence it is a process of slow combustion, in which heat is uniformly evolved, and occasionally even light. In the processes of decomposition, termed fermentation and putrefaction, gaseous products are very frequently formed, which are either inodorous, or possess a very offensive smell.