The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-06-22

Warty knots, and an examination of
these tubercles, when cut open and
placed under a powerful microscope,
showed that they were infested with
myriads of microscopic plants called mi
GRO organisms, and very similar to the
bacteria that cause milk to sour, wine
to ferment, yeast to rise, and form
tUbercles in the lungs Of consumptivee.
Later study proved that these micro
organisms take the nitrogen from the
air and fit it for the use of the growing
legumes. Just how this is done is not
yet understood.
At the Louisiana Station, soil that
would not grow alfalfa was inoculated
with the organisms necessary to form
root tubercles on alfalfa by sowing
upon it finely pulverized soil taken
from field in which alfalfa was grow
ing vigorously, and thereafter alfalfa
made vigorous growth in the inocu-
lated plat.
Further tests at that station show
that possibly each species of plant and
certainly each family of plants has its
own peculiar organism. For instance,
organisms from alfalfa would not pro,
duce tubercles on roots of COW peas, nor
would those of COW peas produce tuber-
cles on alfalfa. In like manner it was
found that vetches, lupines, peanuts,
ETC., would not exchange organisms
with each other nor with clover or
peas. Still, microscopic examination
Of these organisms shows them all to
be very much alike in size and shspe.
But these tests confirm tests made in
Germany, and prove that soil which
fails to grow clover, peas, or vetChes,
may be made to do so by sprinkling it
with finely powdered soil taken from
where vigorous plants Of the same kind
are growing. But soil from q pea field
will not inoculate a field with the
proper bacteria to grow clover.
German scientists have gone step
beyond this, and have produced these
bacteria in artificial cultures i'm the
laboratory, and have put them on the
market at 80 much per quart or per
pound, to be sown on the farmers
fields, instead of applying nitrogen in
the form Of nitrate Of soda, dried blood,
or oil meal. Sow the bacteria and they
will gather your nitrogen from the
air. The general name given to this
new agricultural yeast, is ''Nitragin, F."
and the purchaser must be sure to buy
the clover brand for clover, the pea
brand for peas, etc.
Another important test made at the
Louisiana Station was to determine the
proper depth for planting to 81 cure the
most abundant formation of root
tubercles and hence the most rapid
multiplication of these nitrifying Or
ganisms. Cow peas were planted 1, 2,
3, A, s, and inches deep, and after 8
weeks growth the soil was soaked and
the roots washed out by applying q
strong Jet of water from a hose. 1t
was found that the surface roots con
tanned the largest number of tubercles,
and or inches depth seemed to give
most surface roots. Below inches,
the greater the depth, the fewer sir
face roots, fewer tubercles, and less
vigorous the plants. Roots were traced
| for feet from the stem and nowhere
more than 3 or inches below the sur
face. While these were covered with
tubercies throughout their length, the
tubercles were most abundant near the
stem. Roots striking straight down
had no tubercles below the first 10 or
IL inches. Other leguminous plants
growing in adjoining farms were ex
amined with the same result. It was
found that the number of tuberclee
was much affected by the character o!
the soil. They were more abundant in
sandy soil than in clay soil, and more
abundant in deeply broken soil than in
that plowed shallow.
One particular fact brought out by
these tests is, that while each kind OF
plant has it's own peculiar bacteria,
fertilesoiIs seem to possess at least a few
Of nearly all kinds. Leguminous plants
not native to this country, when planted
in our soils, form tubercles, though nc
similar plants be growing anywhere in
the same State.
Where only few of the desired kind
of bacteria are found, these may be
multiplied as the housewife multipliee
her yeast.
These experiments also confirm the
old teaching that the cheapest way tc
fertilize land is to apply potash and