304 GLOSSARY. 



Evaporation, dissipation of fluids, by heat ; evaporating fluids into 

 vapor, by heat. 



ExcrementUious, consisting of matter excreted from the body. 



Excretory organs, those organs which have the quality of separating 

 and ejecting superfluous parts. 



Fahrenheit, the inventor of the thermometer which is in general use 

 in this country. His name is sometimes used for tlie instrument. 



Fallow, unsowed, left to rest after the years of tillage. In fallow, at 

 rest. 



Fallow crop, a crop changed at every ploughing, substituted for the 

 old practice of leaving the ground at rest. See an explanation of 

 this improvement, in Chapter xvii. p. 169, &c. 



Fallows, grounds lying at rest, in order that they may recover from an 

 exhausted state. 



Falloivs, naked, ground ploughed up, and left uncovered. See p. 169. 



Fallows, Summer, grounds broken up several times, during the sea- 

 son, and exposed to the heats of Summer. 



Fallows, Winter, grounds broken up, and exposed to the frosts of 

 Winter. 



Farmer, one who cultivates a farm, be he proprietor or tenant. On 

 the old continent, the term is only applied to such as pay rent. As 

 our cultivators are generally proprietors, we give to the term its 

 broadest, though perhaps not its legitimate, definition. 



Farmstock, cattle, horses, sheep, hogs, &c. 



Felspar, or Feldspar, a constituent part of numerous rocks. It is 

 not so hard as flint, and is composed of thin laminje, or plates. Its 

 lustre is shining, and its colors white, gray, yellowish, and reddish 

 white. It decays readily, and forms soil. 



Fermentation, a peculiar spontaneous motion, which occurs in vege- 

 table substances, if exposed to proper temperature, under certain 

 circumstances. It is usually divided into the acetous, vinous, sac- 

 charine, and putrefactive, stages. 



Ferruginous, impregnated with iron. 



Ferruginous <Sot7.s, those which abound in iron, the presence of which 

 is generally indicated by a red or yellow color, in the soil, and the 

 waters which pass through it. 



Fescue grass, a species of grass, of the genus Festuca. 



Festuca, the generic name of fescue grass, from the Celtic word festy 

 which signifies pasture, food. 



Feudal, relating to a feud, or right, which a person has in land, or 

 some immovable thing belonging to another person, and which he 

 holds and uses, on condition of performing some service to the 

 owner of the soil, who is called the proprietor or lord. The per- 

 son using the feud is called the vassal of the proprietor, or lord. 

 In former times, all lands were thus held ; and, in Europe, many 

 are so, at the present time. 



Feudal age, the age when lands were generally held by feudal tenure. 



Fibrin, a peculiar organic compound, found in vegetables and ani- 

 mals, of a soft, greasy appearance, and insoluble in water. It forma 

 the chief part of the flesh of the muscles of the body. 



Fibrous, having, or consisting of, fibres. 



