384 Elementary Principles of Agriculture 



Humus (or humous). Decayed or rotten remains of plants and 



animals found in the soil. 

 Husbandry. Farming. 

 Hybrid. The progeny resulting from the crossing of two kinds of 



plants or animals, either varieties or species. A synonym of 



cross. 

 Hydrogen. A chemical element. It is present in water and all living 



substances. 



Hygroscopic. Holding moisture as a film on the surface. 

 Hypha (plural, hyphae). The separate threads of the plant body of 



fungi. 



Inoculate. To infect with a disease. 

 Inorganic. Matter which has not been elaborated into plant or animal 



substance. 



Insectivorous. Eating insects. 

 Insecticide. A poison used to kill insects. 

 Internode. The space between two nodes of a stem. 

 Inter-tillage. Tillage between plants. 

 Kainit. A salt of potash used in making fertilizers. 

 Kernel. A single seed, as a grain of corn, wheat, etc. 

 Kerosene Emulsion. See Appendix B. 

 Larva (plural, larvae). The worm-like stage in the development 



of insects. 

 Layer. A part of a plant that has been bent down and covered with 



soil to stimulate the formation of roots. After the roots are 



formed, it is separated from the parent plant. 

 Legume. A plant belonging to the same family of plants as the pea, 



bean, alfalfa, clovers, etc. 

 Lichen. A kind of fungus plant that grows associated with algae. 



Very common on stones and bark of trees 

 Loam. An earthy mixture of sand and clay, with some organic 



matter. 

 Magnesia. A substance containing the chemical element magnesium. 



It is similar to lime. 

 Microbe. A general term applied to all plants or animals that are 



so small that they may be seen only by aid of the microscope. 

 Mildew. A cobwebby fungus on the surface of diseased or decaying 



things. 



Mold, or Mould. Used in the same way as mildew. Mold occurs only 

 on dead substances. Also a soil with much humus. 



