268 EUROPEAN AGRICULTURE. 



and gases. Radiating and receptive powers in respect to solar 

 rays. Various physical conditions of the soil. 



II. THE ATMOSPHERE. Its composition ; invariable and va 

 riable constituents. Influence of the moisture, carbonic acid, 

 and ammonia, of the atmosphere. 



III. THE VEGETABLE. Its Ultimate Constituents, and their 

 sources ; carbon ; oxygen ; hydrogen ; nitrogen. The sources 

 and importance of the so-called inorganic constituents of the 

 vegetable ; acids ; alkalies ; oxides ; salts. Proximate Con 

 stituents of the vegetable ; sap ; wood ; starch ; sugar ; gum. 

 Their metamorphoses j gluten ; albumen ; fibrine ; caseine : 

 legumine ; proteine ; resins ; oils; acids; alkalies; fermentation: 

 eremacausis ; putrefaction. 



IV. FUNCTIONS AND GROWTH OF VEGETABLES. Germination ; 

 general organization of vegetables ; roots ; trunk ; branches : 

 leaves ; flowers ; buds ; functions of the roots and of the leaves. 



V. PRINCIPLES OF THE IMPROVEMENT OF SOILS. Mechanical, 

 as influencing texture ; chemical, as influencing composition 

 manures, of inorganic, organic, and mixed origin. Draining : 

 ploughing ; burning ; irrigation ; green crops ; interchange of 

 crops ; fallows. 



I make no apology for giving to my readers this instructive 

 syllabus in full. It is said of Q,ueen Elizabeth that, being 

 asked by one of her maids of honor for a book to read, she gave 

 her an English dictionary. The lady presently returned it to 

 her majesty with many thanks, and stated &quot; that she had been 

 much interested in the perusal.&quot; There was more wisdom in 

 this reply than at first appears. To say nothing of its conve 

 nience, yet I have often found a copious index, or a well-digested 

 table of contents, an interesting and instructive portion of a book. 



XLIV. EMPLOYMENT OF AGRICULTURISTS. 



In the technical sense of the term, agriculturist means a 

 teacher of agriculture. Under the excellent management of 



