..
The Composition of the Ashes of Plants ... Classification of Different
Plants 63

CHAPTER V.

THE SOIL--ITS CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL CHARACTERS.

The Origin of Soils ... Composition of Crystalline and Sedimentary Rocks
... their Disintegration ... Chemical Composition of the Soil ...
Fertile and Barren Soils ... Mechanical Texture of Soils ... Absorbent
Action of Soils ... their Physical Characters ... Relation to Heat and
Moisture ... The Subsoil ... Classification of Soils 83

CHAPTER VI.

THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE SOIL BY MECHANICAL
PROCESSES.

Draining ... Its Advantageous Effects ... Subsoil and Deep Ploughing
... Improving the Soil by Paring and Burning ... Warping
... Mixing of Soils ... Chalking 137

CHAPTER VII.

THE GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF MANURING.

Fundamental Principles upon which Manures are applied ... _Special_ and
_General_ Manures ... Importance of this distinction ... Views regarding
the Theory of Manures ... Remarks on Special Manures ... Action of
Manures on the Chemical and Physical Properties of a Soil ... Remarks on
the Application of Manures 152

CHAPTER VIII.

THE COMPOSITION AND PROPERTIES OF FARM-YARD
AND LIQUID MANURES.

Farm-yard Manure ... Urine ... Composition of ... Dung ... Composition
of ... Farm-yard Manure ... Composition of ... Management of Dung-Heaps
... Box-feeding ... Fermentation and application of Manure ... Liquid
Manure ... Composition and application of ... Sewage Manure ... Its
composition and application 166

CHAPTER IX.

THE COMPOSITION AND PROPERTIES OF VEGETABLE
MANURES.

Rape-Dust, Mustard, Cotton and Castor Cake ... Composition of various
Oil-Cakes ... Malt-Dust, Bran, Chaff, etc. ... Straw and Saw-dust ...
Manuring with Fresh Vegetable Matter ... Green Manuring ... Sea-Weed ...
Composition of various Sea-Weeds ... Leaves ... Peat 195

CHAPTER X.

THE COMPOSITION AND PROPERTIES OF ANIMAL
MANURES.

Guano, different varieties of ... Average composition of ... Division
into Ammoniacal and Phosphatic ... Characters of ... Adulteration of ...
Application of ... Pigeons' Dung ... Urate and Sulphated Urine ...
Night-Soil and Poudrette ... Hair, Skin, Horn, Wool, etc. ... Blood ...
Fish ... "Fish-Guano"--Bones