238 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[June, 
HOW CROPS GROW. 
A TREATISE 
ON THE 
Chemical Composition, Structure, 
and Life of the Plant, 
FOR ALL STUDENTS OF AGRICULTURE. 
WITH NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS AND TABLES 
OF ANALYSES, 
BY 
SAMUEL W. JOHNSON, M. A. 
Professor of Analytical and Agricultural Chem¬ 
istry in Yale College ; Chemist to the Conn. 
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,” arc considered from three 
distinct, yet closely related, stand-points, as indicated hy 
the descriptive title. 
The Chemical Composition of the Plant 
Is discussed in three Chapters. 
1st.— The 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 
Growth , 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— Root, Stem, and Leaf, and their 
Functions; and 
The Reproductive Organs , viz., Flowers and Fruit, and 
the Vitality of Seeds with their Influence o» the Plants 
they produce. 
The Life of the Plant 
Forms the Third Division, under which are discussed 
tlie Phenomena of 
Germination, and the conditions most favorable and 
unfavorable to it. 
The Food of the Plant when independent of the Seed. 
Sap and its Motions, etc., etc. 
The Appendix, which consists of 12 Tallies exhibiting 
tlie 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. 
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HOW CROPS PEED. 
A TREATISE ON THE 
ATMOSPHERE AND THE SOIL 
AS RELATED TO THE 
NUTRITION OF AGRICULTURAL PLANTS. 
WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 
BY 
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 of 
the National Academy of Sciences 
The work entitled “ How Crops Grow ” lias 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 into German is soon to appear, at the instigation 
of Professor von Liebig. Tlie Author, therefore, puts 
forth this volume—the companion and complement to the 
former—with tlie hope that it also will he welcomed by 
those who appreciate tlie 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 tlie 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. Oilier Ingredients of 
the Atmosphere. Recapitulation of the Atmospheric 
Supplies of Food to Crops. Assimilation of Atmos¬ 
pheric Food. Tabular View of the Relations of tlie 
Atmospheric Ingredients to the Life of Plants. 
CHAPTER II.—The Atmosphere as Physically 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 Miueralogical Elements of Rocks. Kinds 
and Characters of Rocks. Conversion of Rocks into 
Soil. Incorporation of Organic Matter with tlie Soil. 
CHAPTER III.— Kinds of Soils, their Definition and 
Classification. 
Distinctions of Soils based upon the Mode of their For¬ 
mation or Deposition ; and upon Obvious or External 
Characters. 
CHAPTER TV.— 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 hy Drying and Frost. Relations to Heat. 
CHAPTER V.—The Soil as a Source of Food to 
Crofs : Ingredients whose Elements are of 
Atmospheric Origin. 
Tlie Free Water of tlie Soil in its Relations to Vegetable 
Nutrition. The Air of the Soil. Non-nitrogenous Or¬ 
ganic Matters. Humus. The Ammonia of tlie 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 Ammonia Salts and Nitrates. 
CHAPTER VI.—The Soil 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. Aqueous 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 tlie Soil is altered. Solvent Effects 
of Various Substances. Absorptive and Fixing Power 
of Soils. Review and Conclusion. 
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A NEW BOOK FOR ALL 
STUDENTS OF AGRICULTURE. 
AGRICULTURAL 
Qualitative and Quantitative 
| CHEMICAL ANALYSIS. 
EDITED BY 
Gr. 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 ns 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, hut his book shows that lie 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 II.— Analytical Manipulation. 
Determination of specific gravity, solution, evaporation, 
precipitation,filtration (including Bunsen’s now meth¬ 
od), weighing of residues and precipitates, measur¬ 
ing and dividing solutions, aud calculation of results. 
CHAPTER III.— 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, liydrosulphuric, hydriodic, hydrofluoric, 
oxalic, acetic, tartaric, citric, malic, lactic, uric, hip 
puric, and tannic acids; cellulose, starcb, gum, the 
sugars, albuminoids, urea, fat,'and alcohol. 
CHAPTER TV.— Special Methods of Analysis. 
Course of Qualitative analysis, estimation of water, ot 
organic matter, of sulphur and chlorine in organic 
compounds, special methods of separation of base 
aud acids, schemes of analysis. 
CHAPTER V.— Analysis of Soils and Rocks. 
Mechanical and chemical analysis, and examination of 
physical properties of soils, and examination of 
mar!, limestone, and clay 
CHAPTER VI.— Fertilizers. 
Farm-yard manure, urine, solid excrements, bone-meal, 
bone-black, bone-ash, phosphorite, guano, super¬ 
phosphate, gypsum, salt, potash compounds, and 
Chili saltpetre. 
CHAPTER VII.— Ashes. 
Ashes of plants, of animal substances, and of fuel. 
CHAPTER VHL— 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 
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ORANGE JUDD & CO., 
245 Broadway, New York. 
