238 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[Jui», 
HOW CROPS GROW. 
A TREATISE 
Chemical Composition, Structure, 
and Life of the Plant, 
F«R ALL STUDENTS OF AGRICULTURE. 
WITH NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS AND TABLES 
©F ANALYSES, 
BY 
SAMUEL W. JOHNSON, M. A. 
* 
Professor of Analytical and Agricultural Chem- 
istry in Yale College ; Chemist to the Conk. 
State Agricultural Society ; Member of 
the National Academy of Sciences. 
This is a volume of nearly 400 pages, in which Agri- 
cultural Plants, or "Crops," are considered from three 
distinct, yet closely related, stand-points, as indicated by 
the descriptive title. 
The Chemical Composition of the Plant 
Is discussed in three Chapters. 
laX.— Tlie Volatile Part. 
2d. — The Ash — its Ingredients, their Distribution, Varia- 
tion and Quantities. The Composition of the Ash 
of various Farm Crops, with full Tables ; and the 
Functions of the Ash. 
3d. — Composition of the Plant in various Stages of 
Groicth, and the Relations subsisting among the 
Ingredients. 
The Structure of the Plant and the 
Offices of its Organs 
Is the subject of the Second Division, in which are 
discussed 
The Primary Elements of Organic Structure. 
The Vegetative Organs— Hoot, Stem, and Leaf, and their 
Functions; and 
The Reproductive Organ?, viz., Flowers and Fruit, and 
the Vitality of Seeds with their Influence on the Plants 
they produce. 
The Life of the Plant 
Forms the Third Division, under which are discussed 
the Phenomena of 
Germination, and the conditions most favorable and 
unfavorable to it. 
The Food of the Plant when independent of ttie Seed. 
Sap and its Motions, etc., etc. 
The Appendix, which consists of 12 Tables exhibiting 
the Composition of a great number of Plants viewed 
from many different stand-points, will be found of ines- 
timable value to practical agriculturists, students, and 
theorists. 
SENT POST-PAID PRICE $2.00. 
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245 Broadway, New York, 
HOW CROPS PEED. 
A TREATISE ON THE 
ATMOSPHERE AND THE SOIL 
AS RELATED TO THE 
NUTEITION OP AGRICULTURAL PLANTS. 
WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 
SAMUEL W. JOHNSON, M. A., 
Professor of Analytical and Agricultural Chem- 
istry in the Sheffield Scientific School of 
Yale College ; Chemist to the Connecticut 
State Agricultural Society ; Member op 
the National Academy of Sciences 
The work entitled "How Crops Grow 1 ' has been re- 
ceived with very great favor, not only in America, but in 
Europe. It has been republished in England under the 
joint Editorship of Professors Church and Dyer, of the 
Royal Agricultural College, at Cirencester, and a transla- 
tion kito German is soon to appear, at the instigation 
of Professor von Liebig. The Author, therefore, puts 
forth this volume — the companion and complement to the 
former — with the hope that it also will be welcomed by 
those who appreciate the scientific aspects of Agricul- 
ture, and are persuaded that a true Theory is the surest 
guide to a successful Practice. 
CONTENTS. 
DIVISION I. 
The Atmosphere as Related to Vege- 
tation. 
CHAPTER I.— Atmospheric Air as Food of Plants. 
Chemical Composition of the -Atmosphere. Relations of 
Oxygen Gas, Nitrogen Gas, Atmospheric Water, Car- 
bonic Acid Gas, and Atmospheric Ammonia to Veg- 
etable Nutrition. Ozone. Compounds of Nitrogen 
and Oxygen in the Atmosphere. Other Ingredients of 
the Atmosphere. Recapitulation of the Atmospheric 
Supplies of .Food to Crops. Assimilation of Atmos- 
pheric Food. Tabular \ iew of the Relations of the 
Atmospheric Ingredients to the Life of Plants. 
CHAPTER H.— The Atmosphere as Phtsicallt Re- 
lated to Vegetation. 
Manner of Absorption of Gaseous Food by Plants. 
DIVISION II. 
The Soil as Related to Vegetable Pro- 
duction. 
CHAPTER I.— Introductory. 
CHAPTER II.— Origin and Formation of Soils. 
Chemical and Mineralogies! Elements of Rocks. Kinds 
and Characters of Rocks. Conversion of Rocks into 
Soil. Incorporation of Organic Matter with the Soil. 
CHAPTER III.— Kinds of Soils, tilelu Definition and 
Classification. 
Distinctions of Soils based upon the Mode of their For- 
mation or Deposition ; and upon Obvious or External 
Characters. 
CHAPTER IV.— Physical Characters of the Soil. 
Weight of Soils. State of Division. Absorption of Va- 
por of Water. Condensation of Gases. Power of Re- 
moving of Solid Matters from Solution. Permeability to 
Liquid Water. Imbibition. Capillary Power. Changes 
of Bulk by Drying and Frost. Relations to Heaf. 
CHAPTER V.— The Soil as a Source of Food to 
Crops : Ingredients whose Elements are of 
Atmospheric Origin. 
The Free Water of the Soil in its Relations to Vegetable 
Nutrition. The Air ol the Soil. Non-nitrogenous Or- 
ganic Matters. Humus. The Ammonia of the Soil. 
Nitric Acid (Nitrates) of the Soil. Nitrogenous Or- 
ganic Matters of the soil. Available Nitrogen, Decay 
of Organic Matters. Nitrogenous Principles of Urine. 
Nutritive Value of Anirnohia Salts and Nitrates. 
CHAPTER VI.— The Son, as a Source of Food to 
Crops: Ingredients whose Elements are De- 
rived from Rocks, 
General View of the Constitution of the Soil as Related 
to Vegetable Nutrition. Aqneons Solution of the Soil. 
Solution of the Soil in Strong Acids. Portion of Soil 
Insoluble in Acids. Reactions by which the Solubility 
of the Elements of the Soil is altered. Solvent Effects 
of Various Substances. Absorptive and Fixing Power 
of Soils. Review and Conclusion. 
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ORANGE JUDD AND COMPANY, 
3JS Broadway, New York. 
A NEW BOOK FOR ALL 
STUDENTS OF AGRICULTURE 
AGRICULTURAL 
Qualitative and Quantitative 
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS. 
EDITED BY 
G. C. CALDWELL, 
Professor of Agricultural Chemistry in the Cornell 
University. 
Teachers of Agricultural Chemistry have long felt the 
need of a text book which should serve as a guide to the 
analysis of soils, manures, and the products of the farm 
The present work is very thorough, beginning with the 
preparation of reagents and giving the most approved 
methods of manipulation. Professor Caldwell modestly 
calls himself the editor, bnt his book shows that he has 
not contented himself with editing the works of others, 
but has given much of his own experience. 
CONTENTS. 
CHAPTER I.— The Reagents. 
List of the reagents needed, with directions for prepar- 
ing them, when not more readily obtained otherwise, 
and for testing their purity. 
CHAPTER H.— Analytical Manipulation. 
Determination of specific gravity, solution, evaporation, 
precipitation, filtration (including Bunsen's new meth- 
od), weighing of residues and precipitates, measur- 
ing and dividing solutions, and calculation of results. 
CHAPTER HI.— Reactions and Methods of Quanti- 
tative Estimation. 
Potassium, sodium, ammonium, barium, calcium, mag- 
nesium, aluminium, iron, manganese, zinc, lead, 
copper, and arsenic; silicic, sulphuric, carbonic, 
phosphoric, nitric, hydrochloric, hydrocyanic, hydro* 
ferrocyanic, hydrosulphuric, hydriodic, hydrofluoric, 
oxalic, acetic, tartaric, citric, malic, lactic, uric, hip 
puric, and tannic acids; cellulose, starch, gum, the 
sugars, albuminoids, urea, fat, and alcohol. 
CHAPTER IV.— Special Methods of Analysis. 
Conrse of Qualitative analysis, estimation of water, of 
organic matter, of sulphur and chlorine in organic 
compounds, special methods of separation of base 
and acids, schemes of analysis. 
CHAPTER V.— Analysis of Solls and Rocks. 
Mechanical and chemical analysis, and examination of 
physical properties of soils, and examination of 
marl", limestone, and clay 
CHAPTER VI— Fertilizers. 
Farm-yard manure, urine, solid excrements, bone-meaJ, 
bone-black, bone-ash, phosphorite, guano, super- 
phosphate, gypsum, salt, potash compounds, and 
Chili saltpetre. 
CHAPTER VTI.— Ashes. 
Ashes of plants, of animal substances, and of fuel. 
CHAPTER VIIL— Fodder and Food. 
Fodder plants, beets, turnips, potatoes, seeds, meal 
flour, milk, butter, cheese, and vinegar. 
CHAPTER IX.— Wool and Bark. 
Examination of wool and tanners' bark. 
CHAPTER X.— Beverages. 
Water and wine. 
CHAPTER XL— Tables. 
Metric system of weights and measures, atomic weights 
of elements, factors for calculating analyses, estima- 
tion of tannin in bark, etc 
PRICE, POST-PAID, $2.00. 
ORANGE JUDD Sl CO., 
245 Broadway, New York* 
