Much has been learned about the proper and judicious use of fertilizers. Fertilizer application by farmers has grown from an art to a science. As food producers have strived to increase crop yields by overcoming nutrient deficiencies the use of fertil izers has increased dramatically. This has created a large chemical industry capable of supplying the needed plant food elements. A more complete understanding of soil chemistry and plant nutrition has led to greater fertilizer use with improved fertilization methods and crop cultural practices. Improved fertilizer technology has led to the production of more efficient forms of fertilizer. The modem fertilizer industry and with it fertilization practices began in the humid countries of the world. The use of fertilizers in arid and semiarid regions was later in development, although agriculture had its beginning in semiarid and arid regions. The development offertilizer use is parallel to industrial development in various areas of the world.
Problems of irrigated regions; Soil as a medium for plant growth; Soil and water relations; The salt problem; Evaluating land for irrigation; Source and quality of irrigation water; Measuring irrigation water; Planning A farm for irrigation; Irrigation practice Dainage; Reclamation and management of saline and alkali soils; Control of the physical properties of soil; Control of the biological properties of soil; Maintaining organic matter in soil; Minerals and plant growth; Fertilizer elements and fertilizer materials; Using fertilizers; Soil management for general field crops; Soil management for fruit, vegetable and specialty crops; Farm planning.
The Book Is Concerned Primarily With The Interrelationships Of Soils And Growing Plants. It Has Been Prepared As A Textbook For Students Taking A Course In Soil Fertility And As A Reference Book For Students In Soil Management Courses. An Effort Has Been Made To Avoid Too Much Applied Material, Which Would Be Included In Courses Dealing Specifically With Soil Management Practices. Rather It Has Been The Object To Deal With Fundamental Principles That Can Be Applied To Crop Production Problems When Local Conditions Are Taken Into Consideration. Author Have Tried Never To Lose Sight Of The Practical Problems Of Soil Management And Crop Growth. An Appreciable Amount Of Data Has Been Compiled Which Is Hoped Will Be Useful As Reference Material. Considerable Attention Has Been Given To Results Of Field Experiments. Well Illustrated And An Exhaustive Subject Index Are Other Attractions Of The Book. Contents Chapter 1: The Development Of Agriculture, Ancient Agriculture, Roman Agriculture, Farming After The Fall Of Rome, Beginning Of Scientific Agriculture, Early Chemistry And Its Application To Plants; Chapter 2: Essentials For Plant Growth, Soil Fertility Vs. Productivity, Temperature And Growth, Light Requirement Of Plants, Water And The Growth Of Plants, The Plant And The Atmosphere, Nutrient Requirement Of Plants; Chapter 3: The Soil Solution And Nutrient Absorption By Plants, The Soil Solution, The Nutrient Intake Of Plants, Factors Affecting Nutrient Absorption; Chapter 4: Colloids And Soil Productivity, The Colloidal Content Of Soils, Constituents Of Soil Colloids, The Clay Minerals, Processes Of Ion Adsorption And Exchange, Ion Fixation And Soil Productivity; Chapter 5: Soil Reaction And Liming, Causes And Nature Of Soil Acidity, Development Of Saline And Alkali Soils, Determination And Expression Of Soil Reaction, Soil Reaction And Plant Growth, Changing The Reaction Of Soils; Chapter 6: Soil Organic Matter, Nature Of Materials Which Contribute To Soil Organic Matter, Chemical, Biological And Physical Properties Of Organic Fraction In Soils, Additions And Losses Of Soil Organic Matter, Chapter 7: Nitrogen And Crop Production, Nitrogen Requirements Of Plants, Nitrogen Content Of Soils, Loss Of Nitrogen From The Soils, Additions Of Nitrogen To The Soil, Nitrogen Fertilizers; Chapter 8: Phosphorus, Phosphorus Content Of Soils, Removal Of Phosphorus From The Soil, Return And Addition Of Phosophorus To The Soil, Phosphorus Fertilizers; Chapter 9: Potassium, Potassium Content Of Soils, Removal Of Potassium From The Soil, Addition And Return Of Potassium To The Soil, Potassium Fertilizers; Chapter 10: Calcium And Magnesium, Calcium And The Soil, Relationship Of Calcium To Plant Growth, Quantities And Reactions Of Magnesium In Soils, Magnesium And The Growth Of Plants; Chapter 11: Sulfur, The Sulfur Content Of Soils, Additions Of Sulfur To Soils, Removal Of Sulfur In Crops And By Leaching, Changes Which Sulfur Undergoes In Soils And Effect Of Sulfates On Soil Properties, Forms And Functions Of Sulfur In Plants, The Need For Sulfur Applications In Crop Production; Chapter 12: Micro And Some Non-Essential Nutrients, Manganese, Copper, Boron, Zinc, Molybdenum, Sodium, Silicon, Other Elements; Chapter 13: Soil Deficiencies And Determination Of Nutrient Needs Of Crops, Meaning Of Available Plant Nutrients, Early Efforts To Determine Supplies Of Available Nutrients, Rapid Soil-Testing Methods, Plant Analysis And Tissue Testing, Nutrient-Deficiency Symptoms In Plants, Plant-Growth Methods, Growth Of Microorganisms As An Indicator Of Soil-Nutrient Supply, Mitscherlich S Theory And Present-Day Agrobiology; Chapter 14: Activities Of Soil Organisms That Affect Productivity, Improvement In Soil Physical Condition By Organisms, Chemical Changes In Soil Constituents Produced By Organisms, Additions Of Nitrogen To Soils Through Biological Fixation; Chapter 15: Green Manures, Crop Residues, And Composts, Green Crops For Soil Protection And Improvement, Crop Residues And Sods, Composts And Municipal Wastes As Fertilizers And Soil Amendments; Chapter 16: Animal Manures, Regional Fertilizer Use And Nutrient Content Of Manure, Production And Composition Of Manure, Recovery In Manure Of Nutrients In Feed, Handling And Conservation Of Manure, Manure And Crop Production; Chapter 17: Contribution Of Commercial Fertilizers To Soil Productivity, Production And Use Of Fertilizers In The United States, Fertilizer Application For Different Crops, Returns From Application Of Fertilizer; Chapter 18: Rotations And Farming Systems, Cash-Crops Production The In Central West, Crop Rotations In Northeastern United States And Canada, Southern Cropping Systems, Cropping Systems Used In Dryland Farming, Rotations On Irrigated Land, Cash-Crop Vs. Livestock Farming, Limitation In Rotation Benefits; Chapter 19: A Summary Of Old Field Experiments, The Rothamsted Experiment Station, Field Studies In Illinois, Fertilizer Experiments In Pennsylvania, The Ohio Experimental Farms, Missouri S Sanborn Field, The Rhode Island Rotation Tests, Alabama S Old Rotation, Cylinder Studies In New Jersey, Washington S Wheat Cultural Experiments.
