Chemistry in its application to agriculture and physiology / by Justus Liebig ... ; edited from the manuscript of the author by Lyon Playfair.

  • Liebig, Justus, Freiherr von, 1803-1873.
Date:
1847
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Chemistry in its application to agriculture and physiology / by Justus Liebig ... ; edited from the manuscript of the author by Lyon Playfair. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    Silica, with siliceous sand- Alumina .... Protoxide and peroxide of iron - Peroxide of manganese Lime (principally carbonate) Magnesia, idem ... Potash, with silica Soda with silica - - Phosphate of iron ... Sulphuric acid with lime Carbonic acid, with lime and magnesia Humus soluble in alkalies Humus .... 93-870 1-218 1-418 0360 0-546 0-560 0-050 0-040 0-246 0-027 1145 0400 0090 100000 It will be observed that a considerable quantity of phosphate of iron is contained in this soil, and the corn which grows upon it is, as in the former case, disposed to rust. 9. Surface-soil (A) a loamy soil, from Brunswick, remarkable on account of pro- ducing buck-wheat, which is exceedingly poor in the grain. (B) analysis of the sub- soil at a depth of 1^ foot. 100 parts con- tain:— Silica, with coarse siliceous sand Alumina - Protoxide and peroxide of iron Protoxide and peroxide of man- ganese ... Lime, in combination with silica Magnesia, idem Potash, with silica Soda - - Phosphate of iron - Sulphuric acid with lime Chlorine (in common salt) Humus soluble in alkalies - Humus By manuring the land with wood ashes, the soil is enabled to produce buck-wheat, with rich grain; the ieguminous plants also thrive luxuriantly upon it. This increased fertility is due to the ashes, by means of which both potash and phosphates are sup- plied to the land. 10. Subsoil of a loamy, sandy soil, from Brunswick. It is remarkable for having produced excellent crops of hops for a long series of years. 100 parts, by weight, con- sist of:— Silica, with siliceous sand ... 95.660 Alumina - - - - - • 1.586 Protoxide and peroxide of iron - - 1.616 Peroxide of manganese - - - 0.240 Lime, in combination with silica - - 0.083 Magnesia ..... 0.080 Potash ..--.- 0.030 Soda ...... O.220 Phosphoric acid 0.039 Sulphuric acid - 0.003 Chlorine a trace Humus soluble in alkalies - - - 0.080 Humus 0.360 (A) (B) 95-114 92-458 i'080 2530 1-900 2-502 0-320 0920 0-380 0710 0-300 0551 0020 0.120 0.004 0034 0052 0-175 0006 a trace 0005 a trace 0619 0-200 100000 100-000 100.000 Although the hops contain a large quan- tity of potash, soda, phosphoric acid, sul- phuric acid, lime, and magnesia, yet we do not find that these exist in the soil in super- abundant quantity. Nor is it necessary that they should, for the roots of the hops pene- trate 8 or 10 feet deep into the soil, and search out the materials fitted to nourish the plants. Hence it is that hops thrive well on soils comparatively poor in their proper ingredi- ents. The same is the case with all plants of a similar nature, the roots of which pos- sess a tendency to extend in search of food ; Ave see this particularly in lucerne and sain- foin. SOILS OF HEATHS. 11. Soil of a heath converted into arable land, in the vicinity of Brunswick. It is naturally sterile, but produces good crops when manured with lime, marl, cow-dung, or the ashes of the heaths which grow upon it. Silica, and coarse siliceous sand - - 71.504 Alumina ..... 0.780 Protoxide and peroxide of iron, principally combined with humus - - - 0.420 Peroxide of manganese, idem - - 0.220 Lime, idem - ... - 0.134 Magnesia, idem - 0.032 Potash and soda, principally as silicates - 0.058 Phosphoric acid, (principally as phosphate of iron) - - - - - 0.115 Sulphuric acid (in gypsum) - 0.018 Chlorine (in common salt) . - - 0.014 Humus soluble in alkalies - - - 9.820 Humus, with vegetable remains - 14.975 Resinous matters 1.910 100.000 Ashes of the soil of the heath, before be- ing converted into arable land :— Silica, with siliceous sand - - - 92.641 Alumina 1.352 Oxides of iron and manganese - - 2.324 Lime, in combination with sulphuric and phosphoric acids .... 0.929 Magnesia, combined with sulphuric acid - 0.283 Potash and soda (principally as sulphates and phosphates .... 0.564 Phosphoric acid, combined with lime - 0.250 Sulphuric acid, with potash, soda and lime 1.620 Chlorine in common salt - - 0.037 100.000 12. Surface-soil of a fine-grained loam, from the vicinity of Brunswick. It is re- markable from the circumstance, that not a single year passes in which corn plants are cultivated upon it without the stem of the plants being attacked by rust. Even the grain is covered with a yellow rust, and is much shrunk. 100 parts of the soil con- tain :— Silica and fine siliceous sand • - 87.859 Alumina ...... 2.652 Peroxide of iron with a large proportion of protoxide - - - • 5.132 Protoxide and peroxide of manganese - 0.840 Lime principally combined with silica - 1.459 Magnesia, idem 0.280 Potash and soda, idem ... 0.090 Phosphoric acid in combination with iron 0.505 Sulphuric acid in combination with lime 0.068 Chlorine in common salt . . . 0.006 Humus - 1.109 100.000