The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-03-06
No. 4


7wers to this all-important question.
/ They are these: First, by peculiar &C
6lon OF certain leguminous plants; sec
ond. by feeding with properly prepared
commercial fertilizers.
The res storation OF nitro gen to the
overcropped, or washed away soil
was and is the most serious question to
the chemist and to the farmer. When
we recall that long ago chemists as
certained the fact that about four
fifths of the atmosphere is composed Of
nitrogen we are inclined to think that
the chemist had his gold mine, or rather
nitrogen mine, sc his door. But the
question was to make some trap Gun.
alng enough to casch this elusive ele
ment, some store house tight enough
GO hold it, and some machine effective
enough to epoly it to the soil.
Tee ffsst step taken ia the solution
OF the question was taken when some
queer little bumps now called no6ules
were discovered on legunin0us plants.
Analysis showed that these noduIes
were inhabited by bacteria that had
the wonderful power of extrectin in
ert nitrogen from the air. Here was
the trap Then it was found that these
plants took this nitrogen and so com.
blned it with other elements that Ordi.
nary plants could use it. Here was
the store house. If then these Iegumes
would, when planted and cultivated,
posit in the soil the combined nitro
gen that they had so provided, then
the mechanical plication was secured.
Experiment proved this true, and the
most useful fact ever made known to
the agricultural world was demon
strated. By a j1dicI0us rotation Of
crops based on this principle, sen.
sible farmer can reclaim the poorest
acre ever turned out to grow broom.
sage, and keep his land forever fer.
tile.
The German chemists have recently
discovered another practical epplica.
tion of this principle. They found that
they could eastuIIy cultivate these
useful bacteria and transplant them
On the leRumes, and 80 increase fertil,
Ity. Taey are now raising swarming
families OF noduIe bacteria and selling
than into plant slavery under the
name of nitrogen. II some chemical
genius can just show the way to one
more advance, and make these bac.
terial nodules grow on cotton, corn
and wheat, the world could hardly
hold the crops that would grow.
The second great contribution chem.
istry made to agricultural ecience was
when it taught how to make and use
commercial Fertilizers. There were to
supply artit1oaIly and ex5raneously
the same three clements that the
legumes supply naturally. Or course,
this process is more expensive, but tits
probably faster. The Fl tst commercial
fertilizer factory ever egta ablished was
se5 up by Sir John Bennett Lawes at
the suggestion Of the great chemist
LiebIg. Liebig, knowing that bones
had long been used to impart fertility,
first suggested that il the bones were
ground and treated with sulphuriC
acid, the plant fcoj contained in them
would be made more quickly available
This, Of. course, was the origin Of the
modern com merctal process by which
phosphoric acid is now obtained from
phosphate rock. To chemists also the
agricultural world owes the discovery
and proper working Of the immense de.
posits Of potash salts at S:asgfurt, Ger
many. These mines furnish the worlds
supply Of potash salts in the shape Of
crude kainit, purified double manurial
salt, or high grade sUlphate Of potash.
To these scien fists the huebandman
owes his various processes of getting
the nitrogen for his fertilizer. This is
obtained from nitrate Of soda, from gas
WORKS and from refuse animal matter.
SO to the chemical worker is due the
sugg estioD to make the fertilizer, the
kno wledge of how to mix it, the d;rec-
tion where and how to get the ingredi
ents, and subs quently formulae for
application to different crops.
In a recent very clearly written
book. Seton Thompson shows by ex-
ample theaany dangers that beset the
rearing d By wild bird or animal,
and graphically paints the foes lurking
by night or stalking by day for any
unwary animal. But the life of DO ami
NAL is toughs more persiatently than
disease SEEKS the life Of the growing
plant For various reasons, fung6us
pests, insects, pests without name,
rank, lineage or respectable standing