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Harvey Washington Wiley’s Principles and Practice of Agricultural Analysis is a comprehensive technical manual that treats soils as the foundation of agricultural chemistry. The opening pages make clear that Wiley draws on worldwide experience, especially American field work, and openly credits contemporaries such as Hilgard, Osborne, Whitney and Merrill for their contributions to chapters on soil origin, physical properties and mechanical analysis. The book proceeds methodically from definitions of soil and its geological formation, through detailed discussions of rock decay, mineral composition and the role of organic matter, to an exhaustive catalogue of sampling techniques, laboratory treatments, physical measurements, and chemical assays. Its table of contents maps a systematic progression from basic concepts to specialized procedures for assessing moisture, porosity, heat, absorption, and the myriad elemental constituents that influence plant growth.
The work reflects the scholarly tone of the late‑19th century, combining precise scientific language with a didactic, almost encyclopedic style. Its dense, clause‑rich prose and extensive reliance on contemporary authorities make it most suitable for readers with a background in agronomy, soil science or historical chemistry, students, researchers, or practitioners who appreciate meticulous methodological detail and the historical context of early agricultural research.
The opening · free to read
Physical Properties of Soils, pp. 95–101.—The soil as a mass; Color of soils; Odoriferous matters in soils; Specific gravity; Apparent specific gravity.
Relation of Soil to Heat, pp. 102–103.—Sources of soil heat; Specific heat; Absorption of solar heat.
Determination of Specific Heat, pp. 104–110.—General principles; Method of Pfaundler; Variation of specific heat.
Soil Thermometry, pp. 111–115.—General principles; Frear’s method of stating results; Method of Whitney and Marvin.
Applications of Soil Thermometry, pp. 115–116.—Absorption of heat; Conductivity of soils for heat.
Cohesion and Adhesion of Soils, pp. 116–117.—Behavior of soil after wetting; Methods of determining cohesion and adhesion; Adhesion of soil to wood and iron.
Absorption by Soils, pp. 117–130.—General principles; Summary of data; Cause of absorption; Deductions of Warington, Way, and Armsby; Selective absorption of potash; Influence of surface area; Effect of removal of organic matters; Importance of soil absorption; Methods of determining absorption; Statement of results; Preparation of salts for absorption.
Relations of Porosity to Soil Moisture, pp. 131–150.—Definition of porosity; Influence of drainage; Capacity of soil for moisture; Determination of porosity; Whitney’s method; Relation of fine soil to moisture; Wolff’s and Wahnschaffe’s method; Petermann’s method; Mayer’s method; Volumetric determination; Wollny’s method; Heinrich’s method; Effect of pressure on water capacity; Coefficient of evaporation; Determination of capillary attraction; Inverse capillarity; Determination of coefficient of evaporation; Wolff’s method; Water given off in a water-free atmosphere; Porosity of soil for gases; Determination of permeability in the field.
Movement of Water Through Soils: Lysimetry, pp. 151–170.—Porosity in relation to water movement; Methods of water movement; Capillary movement of water; Causes of water movement; Surface tension of fertilizers; Methods of estimating surface tension; Preparation of soil extracts; Lysimetry; Relative rate of flow of water through soils; Measurement of rate of percolation; Authorities cited in part third.
The Flocculation of Soil Particles, pp. 171–185.—Relation of flocculation to mechanical analysis; Effect of potential of surface particles; Destruction of floccules; Suspension of clay in water; effect of chemical action; Theory of Barus; Physical explanation of subsidence; Separation of soil into particles of standard size; Mechanical separation; Sifting with water.
Separation of Soil Particles by a Liquid, pp. 185–207.—Classification of methods of silt analysis; Methods depending on subsidence of soil particles; Methods of Kühn, Knop, Wolff, Moore, Bennigsen, and Gasparin; Method of Osborne; Schloesing’s method.
Separation of Soil Particles by a Liquid in Motion, pp. 207–247.—General principles; Nöbel’s Apparatus; Method of Dietrich; Method of Masure; Method of Schöne; Mayer’s method; Osborne-Schöne method; Statement of results; Berlin-Schöne method; Hilgard’s method; Colloidal clay; Properties of pure clay; Separation of fine sediments; Weighing sediments; Classification of results; Comparison of methods.
Miscellaneous Determinations, pp. 247–281.—Mechanical determination of clay; Effect of boiling on clay; General conclusions; Distribution of soil ingredients; Percentage of silt by classes; Interpretation of silt analysis; Number of soil particles; Surface area of soil particles; Logarithmic constants; Mineralogical examination of silt; Microscopical examination; Petrographic microscope; Forms and dimensions of particles; Silt classes; Crystal angles; Refractive index; Polarized light; Staining silt particles; Cleavage of soil particles; Microchemical examination of silt particles; Petrographic examination of silt particles; Separation of silt particles by specific gravity; Separation with a magnet; Color and transparency; Value of silt analyses; Authorities cited in part fourth.
Estimation of Gases in Soils, pp. 282–300.—Carbon dioxid; Aqueous vapor; Maximum hygroscopic coefficient; Absorption of aqueous vapors; Oxygen and air; General method of determining absorption; Special methods; Diffusion of carbon dioxid; General conclusions; Authorities cited in part fifth.
Chemical Analysis of Soils, pp. 301–342.—Preliminary considerations; Order of examination; Determination of water in soils; General conclusions; Estimation of organic matter in soils; Estimation of humus; Estimation of carbonates in arable soils.
Digestion of Soils with Solvents, pp. 342–352.—Treatment with water; With water saturated with carbon dioxid; With water containing ammonium chlorid; With water containing acetic acid; Treatment with citric acid; With hydrochloric acid; With nitric acid; With hydrofluoric and sulphuric acids.
Determination of the Dissolved Matter, pp. 352–367.—Methods of the Official Agricultural Chemists; Hilgard’s methods; Belgian methods; Bulk analysis.
Special Methods of Soil Analysis, pp. 367–428.—Determination of potash; Potash soluble in concentrated acids; Soluble in dilute acids; Estimation as platinochlorid; German Station methods; Raulin’s method; Russian method; Italian method; Smith’s method; International method; Dyer’s method; Estimation of total alkalies and alkaline earths; French method for lime; Estimation of actual calcium carbonate; Estimation of active calcareous matter; Russian method for lime; Assimilable lime; German lime method; Estimation of magnesia; Estimation of manganese; Estimation of iron; Estimation of phosphoric acid; Estimation of sulfuric acid; Estimation of chlorin; Estimation of silica; Simultaneous estimation of different elements; Estimation of kaolin in soils.
Estimation of Nitrogen in Soils, pp. 428–458.—Nature of nitrogenous principles; Method of Official Agricultural Chemists; Hilgard’s method; Moist combustion method of Müller; Soda-lime method; Treatment of soil containing nitrates; Volumetric method with copper oxid; Estimation of ammonia; Amid nitrogen; Volatile nitrogenous compounds; Late methods of the Official Agricultural Chemists; Authorities cited in part sixth.
Oxidized Nitrogen in Soils, pp. 459–496.—Organic nitrogen; Nitric and nitrous acids; Conditions of nitrification; Production of nitric and nitrous acids; Production of ammonia; Order of oxidation; Occurrence of nitrifying organisms; Nitrifying power of soils; Culture of nitrifying organisms; Isolation of nitrous and nitric ferments; Classification of nitrifying organisms; Sterilization; Thermostats for cultures; Conclusions.
Determination of Nitric and Nitrous Acids in Soils, pp. 496–531.—Classification of methods; Extraction of nitric acid; The nitric oxid process; Schloesing’s method; Warington’s method; Spiegel’s method; Schulze-Tiemann method; DeKoninck’s method; Schmitt’s process; Merits of the ferrous salt method; Mercury and sulfuric acid method; Lunge’s nitrometer; Utility of the method; The indigo method.
Determination of Nitric Nitrogen by Reduction to Ammonia, pp. 531–542.—Classification of methods; Method of the Official Agricultural Chemists; German method; Devarda’s method; Stoklassa’s process; Sievert’s variation; Variation of the sodium-amalgam process; Schmitt’s method; Process of Ulsch; Reduction by the electric current; Copper-zinc and aluminum-mercury couples.
Iodometric Estimation of Nitric Acid, pp. 543–548.—Method of DeKoninck and Nihoul; Method of Gooch and Gruener.
Estimation of Nitric and Nitrous Acids by Colorimetric Comparison, pp. 548–570.—Delicacy of the process; Hooker’s carbazol method; Phenylsulfuric acid method; Estimation of nitric in presence of nitrous acid; Metaphenylenediamin method for nitrous acid. Sulfanilic acid test; Naphthylamin process; Use of starch as indicator; Method of Chabrier; Ferrous salt method; Potassium ferrocyanid method; Collecting samples of rain water.
Determination of Free and Albuminoid Ammonia, pp. 570–575.—Nessler process; Ilosvay’s reagent; Authorities cited in part seventh.
Special Examination of Waters, pp. 576–583.—Total solid matter; Estimation of chlorin; Estimation of carbon dioxid; Boric acid.
Special Treatment of Muck Soils, pp. 583–591.—Sampling; Water content; Organic carbon and hydrogen; Total volatile matter; Estimation of sulfur; Estimation of phosphoric acid; Estimation of humus; Special study of soluble matters in muck.
Unusual Constituents of Soil, pp. 580–593.—Estimation of copper; Estimation of lead; Estimation of zinc; Estimation of boron; Authorities cited in part eighth. Index, pp. 594–607.
Page 468, paragraph =423=, read “calcium carbonate about 200 milligrams,” instead of “calcium carbonate, or gypsum fifty milligrams.”
Page 557, read “red-yellow” instead of “blue” in seventh line from bottom.
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