Chemistry in Its Application to Agriculture and Physiology

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Page 5 - SMYTH'S (Professor) Lectures on Modern History; from the Irruption of the Northern Nations to the close of the American Revolution.
Page 103 - 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 191 - 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 xv - 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. But a rational system of agriculture cannot be formed without the application of scientific principles ; for such a system must be based on an exact acquaintance with the means of nutrition of vegetables, and with the influence of soils...
Page 33 - ... the obvious difference in the growth of plants according to the known abundance or scarcity of HUMUS in the soil, seemed to afford incontestable proof of its correctness. * Yet, this position, when submitted to a strict examination, is found to be untenable, and it becomes evident from most conclusive proofs, that humus IN THE FORM IN WHICH IT EXISTS IN THE SOIL, does not yield the smallest nourishment to plants.
Page 143 - 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 84 - ... 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 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 45 - Hessian foot of the surface of the earth; the diameter of the earth and its superficies are likewise known, so that the weight of the atmosphere can be calculated with the greatest exactness. The thousandth part of this is carbonic acid, which contains upwards of 27 per cent, carbon.
Page 192 - The Chinese husbandman always steeps the seeds he intends to sow in liquid manure until they swell, and germination begins to appear, which experience has taught him will have the effect of hastening the growth of...

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