CONIENTS 



ciL\rTi:R I 



INTROUUCTORY 



Early Notices of Manures and Manuring— The Growth 

 of the Theory of Nutrition of I'lants I'ricstlcy, dc 

 Saussure, Houssin^'ault, Liehi^;, I^iwcs anti Ciilbert, 

 Hellrie^'el and Wilfarth— The Introduction of Com- 

 mercial Kcrtilibcrs — (icneral Outline of the I'roccss of 

 Nutrition of riants- The Constituents of the Soil Mode 

 of Entry of Food into the Plant — Nature and Function 

 of a Fertiliser .... 



CHAPTER II 



FERTILISERS CONT.MNIXG NITROGEN 



The Importance of Nitrogen— Evidence that Plants cannot 

 utilise the Free Nitrogen of the Atmosphere— Ammonia 

 and Nitric Acid in the Atmosphere— Origin of the 

 World's Stock of Combined Nitrogen — Nitrogen-fixing 

 IJacteria — F'ixation of Atmospheric Nitrogen to form 

 Calcium Cyanamide— Fixation of Atmospheric Nitrogen 

 in the Electric Arc ; Manufacture of Nitrate of Lime — 

 Nitrate of Soda : Nature and Origin— Properties of 

 Nitrate of Soda : Use as a Fertiliser— Value of the Soda 

 Base — Injurious Effects of Nitrate of Soda upon the 

 Texture of the Soil— Sulphate of Ammonia : Sources 

 and Production — Changes undergone by Sulphate of 

 Ammonia in the Soil — Acidity of Soil induced by 

 Sulphate of Ammonia — Relative Value of Nitrate of 

 Soda and Sulphate of Ammonia— Other Nitrogenous 

 Fertilisers : Soot, Shoddy, Fur and Feather Waste, 

 Hoofs and Horns — Slow Action of such .Manures — 

 Seaweed .... 



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