Chemistry in its Application to Agriculture and Physiology, Justus Liebig

£65.00

Chemistry in its Application to Agriculture and Physiology, Justus Liebig

Name: Chemistry in its Application to Agriculture and Physiology, Justus Liebig
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 4472
Price: 65.00 GBP
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Chemistry in its Application to Agriculture and Physiology, Justus Liebig — Second Edition

Publication: London, Taylor & Walton, 1842

Formatting: 8vo, pp. xii, 409.

Condition Report: Good. The original green cloth binding remains intact but exhibits environmental wear, most notably extensive sun-fading and browning across the spine that extends deeply into the margins of both boards. While the blind-stamped decorative borders remain distinct, localised dark staining is present on the front board, and the spine ends are chipped and lightly frayed, indicative of historical shelf-wear. The binding is slightly shaken, which is typical for heavy texts of this period, resulting in some unevenness to the text block. Internally, the untrimmed, deckled page edges are noticeably toned and darkened with age, and the text block shows scattered spotting and mild foxing; however, the pages remain supple and entirely legible.

Catalogue Note: This is the significantly expanded "Second Edition, with very numerous additions," edited from the author's original manuscript by Lyon Playfair. Printed by Bradbury and Evans in Whitefriars, this early English translation captures the pivotal moment when organic chemistry was first systematically applied to crop yields and soil fertility.

The front free endpaper bears a contemporary ink ownership signature, seemingly reading "T. Paget" and dated '46, offering a charming, factual glimpse into its early provenance. Unillustrated, as is standard for this type of scientific treatise, the book remains a moderately scarce survival in its original, albeit weathered, blind-stamped cloth, presenting a solid representative copy of a world-changing agricultural text on the open market.

Recognised as a foundational text that sparked the modern agricultural revolution, Justus Liebig’s Chemistry in its Application to Agriculture and Physiology completely transformed how science viewed soil fertility. By identifying nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium as essential plant nutrients, Liebig essentially laid the groundwork for the global fertiliser industry. This work dispelled previous misconceptions about plant biology and firmly established chemistry as a vital tool for maximising agricultural yields, making it an essential volume for collectors of scientific history and agricultural development.

Book Condition: Good

Book Authors: Justus Liebig, Lyon Playfair

Book Publisher: Taylor & Walton

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Non-Fiction

Genre: Science & Medical

Book edition: Second Edition

Signed: No

Book Pages: 409

Book Publication Year: 1842

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Hardcover (Blind-Stamped Cloth)

Illustrator: N/A

Book Series: N/A

Country/region of manufacture: London, United Kingdom

Book Dimensions:

Book Condition Guide

We stock thousands of books in a wide range of conditions. To make things clear and to help you know exactly what to expect, Please refer to these condition categories to understand the condition of the book you will receive.

Condition	Description
New	A brand-new, unread and professionally handled book. Carefully preserved from publication to purchase, these books are offered in the best attainable condition. This grade applies to recently published titles that have not entered long-term storage.
As New	The book is in pristine, original condition as if just published. No signs of use or handling. The dust jacket (if present) is equally flawless. This grade applies to any book that has remained untouched in storage for years.
Fine	The book is close to As New. It remains bright and attractive, but could show minor imperfections to the boards and/or dust jacket (if present). Its pages are typically clean and unmarked.
Near Fine	The book has a number of small flaws, i.e. slight rubbing to the edges, or tiny chips or creases to the dust jacket (if present). Its pages may have faint marks, or creases that are barely perceptible — nothing that detracts from their overall condition.
Very Good	The book maintains its structural integrity, and has no major flaws such as tears to its binding or pages. It may, however, show signs of careful use, handling, or storage — small marks and creases, light foxing. Its dust jacket (if present) remains fully intact, but small tears may be present.
Good	A book that remains intact and readable with complete text pages, but shows moderate signs of wear and use to both the book and dust jacket (if present). It may have noticeable creases, nicks, or stains, and the spine likely shows fading, bumping, and rubbing. There could be writing, underlining, and other marks on some pages, though the majority will be clean and tidy.
Fair	A book with significant wear or damage. The text pages will be complete, but there may be heavy underlining, highlighting and staining throughout, and the book’s endpapers, half-title, and copyright pages could be damaged or missing. The binding could be loose, and the dust jacket (if present) may have notable scuffs or tears. These copies are usually of interest for content, signature(s) or scarcity.
Poor	A heavily worn book whose value lies in its complete and legible text. A poor book will have substantial defects — loose joints or hinges, detached covers, loose and/or missing pages, and could be heavily soiled. A poor book is also known as a reading copy, and although compromised, can hold historical or bibliographic significance.