The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1903-03-06
.STERILIZES THE SOIL.
Horticultural Experiments Conducted. by
DR.. Stone.

Dr.. George E. Stone. of the Hatch ex-
perimental station at Amherst, Mass, is
experimenting this winter in growing the
American Beauty rose: He desires to
ascertain, the most suitable texture of
soil adapted to this variety. Owing to
the nature of the soil and to their inabili-
ty TO compete with New Jersey owe
Massachusetts gardeners nave given up
trying to grow this rose. From an anal
ysis made of the soil in New Jersey, DR..
Stone has found the American Beauties
require a heavy texture OF soil. He has
therefore selected several different varie-
ties of earth near the college, some Of
which We're obtained six feet below the
surface. By the experiments Dr. Stone
hopes to ascertain which texture of soil,
silt, tine sand or clay should predominant
to give the best results in the growing
Of this rose. The experiment nay extend
over a period of several years.
Or. Stone has also obtained some inter-
estlng results from experiments in steril-
i!zing soil, some Of which will soon appear
in bulletin FORM: The process has been
fully described in previous issues. 1t
consists in bringing the soil to a tempera-
ture OF 2OO' degrees in order to kill all
ticulary bacteria Live steam is turned
into the ground through pipes laid below
the surface. This treatment has proved
to be an effectual preventive of the vel!
known fungous disease Of lettuce, called
drop: Some few years: ago DIR. Stone
Obtained q peck of earth from Boston
Crop. This he scattered in his green
house. The disease spread so rapidly
fRtaHat within three years the loss among
[Hbe plants, from this disease alone, was
Nearly total. Last fall DR.. Stsne sterii-
vs. y;efd the sol and thereby completely
Che same soil a perfect patch of lettuce,
practically not a plant of which mas died.
The experiments, DR.. Stone claims.
prove that sterilization, besides killing
all forms Of disease and weed seeds, has
the effect of making certain constituents
Of the soil more available. Plants ard
vegefaples,. such as Lettuce produced in
and larger than those grown in soil not
90 treated. Lettuce. in this way will
mature in four weeks instead Of six.
After soil has been sterilized it is not
necessary: to repeat the treatment for
several years. The cost, DR.. Stone
claims, is not prohibitive. W. w. Raw
son of Boston has been treating the soil
IN his greenhouse in this way for several
years at an average cost Of $3.50 per
1000 cubic. feet. -:
DR.. Stone: is, this winter conducting
experiments to ascertain the effects Of
sterilized and unsterilized soil on germin-
alton. Over twenty varieties Of seed are
being used in the experiment.
For eight years DR.. Stone has been
testing the: effect of electricity on the
roots of plants in stimulating their
growth. The application of a certain
current, he has found: will increase the
weight of lettuce from 80 to 60 per cent.
Other currents will kill the plant. Elk
periments are in progress to decide the
injury inflicted to trees in cities by means
of the electricity which escapes into
them from street car and telephone wires.
H. A. Ballow, one5of DIR. Stones pupils.
is working along the same lines to find
what amount Of illuminating gas is re-
| The results Of this Investigation Should
prove valuable.-New England Home
stead.