GLOSSARY. 311 



Phosphate of lime, a combination of phosphoric acid and lime. 



Phosphate of magnesia, a combination of phosphoric acid and mag- 

 nesia. 



Phosphoric acid, an acid, formed by the combination of phosphorus 

 and oxygen. 



Phosphorus, a simple combustible body, usually obtained from animal 

 bones. It is of a soft, waxy consistence, and is luminous in the air, 

 at common temperatures. At a heat of one hundred and forty-eight 

 degrees, it takes fire, and burns with great rapidity; and, on this ac- 

 count, is generally kept under water. It is used in some kinds of 

 apparatus for procuring light. 



Physical, relating to Nature or natural productions, or to material 

 things, as opposed to things moral, or imaginary ; external, percep- 

 tible to the senses. 



Phijsical science, natural philosophy. 



Plantain, Ribwort plantain, Ribgrass, or Ribwort, (the Plantago 

 lanceolata,) a plant with a tuft of long ribbed leaves, springing from 

 the crown of the root, long, naked stem, and long taproot, cultiva- 

 ted for herbage and hay. It abounds in dry soils, where it afibrds 

 little herbage ; but in rich, moist lands, its herbage is more abun- 

 dant, and is eaten heartily by every species of cattle. 



Platina, or Platinum, the heaviest metal known. It is of a grayish 

 white color, approaching to silver, but with less lustre ; and not 

 quite so hard as iron. 



Poa, the generic name of meadow grass. 



Poach, to boil slightly ; to begin without completing ; to steal game ; 

 to be damp or swampy ; to cut up soft grounds, by travelling over 

 them, as cattle do in wet soils. 



Poached, cut up, by travelling over. 



Poor-rate, a tax paid for the support of the poor. 



Porous, full of pores. 



Potash, a fixed alkali, extracted from burning vegetables, and used ia 

 making soap and glass, and in dyeing and bleaching. 



Poudretle, see p. 72. 



Precipitous, steep. 



Primary, or Primitive, original, established from the beginning ; 

 most ancient. 



Primary, or Primitive, rocks, were originally so called, because no 

 fossil remains of animals or vegetables, nor any fragments of other 

 rocks, were found imbedded in them ; and it was consequently sup- 

 posed, that they were formed before the existence of any organic 

 beings. These rocks are, in general, very hard, and occur in im- 

 mense masses, whole mountains and districts being coujposed of 

 them ; and they form the lowest part of the earth's surface with 

 which we are acquainted, constituting, as it were, the foundation, 

 on which all other rocks rest. 



Primitive Soils, such as exist in primitive or early formations of the 

 globe, destitute of organic remains ; as most of those of New Eng- 

 land. 



Professional Gardener, one who has served an apprenticeship to gar- 

 dening, and understands the processes of culture, propagation, and 

 forciuff. 



