The progress., 1904-06-11
FARMER AND PLANTER.
LEGUMIN0Us CROPS.
They Are Among tie Most valuable
in Replenishtng the Soil With
Valuable Plant Food.

lNsuminous or pod bearing crops
are those that have the power of draw
Ing their supply OF nitrogen from the
air. There are a number of plants
that have this power. The ones most
generally cultivated are the different
kinds OF clover, beans, peas and
vetches. These plants have the pow.
er by means Of certain kinds of bac
terra, which attach themselves to the
roots OF the growing plants, Of draw
ing upon the free nitrogen Of the air
and SO appropriating 1t to the use OF
the growing plants. This bacteria un.
til recently has been classed as be.
longing to the animal kingdom, but Of
recent years they are classified as
plants. They are single-celled. and
composed almost entirely Of pro.
toplasm. Free nitrogen is not availa-
BILE for the use of growing crops, but
must be in combined state before it
is available for plant growth; SO we
may readily see the advantage of this
bacteria; it combines the free nitrogen
and makes it available for plant
growth. For growing a leguminous
crop soil need not contain much nj
trogen if it contains the bacteria suit
ed to the class Of legumes to be
grown, as it is rendered Independent
of this most costly element of fertility.
The soil is left richer in nitrogen after
crop Of legumes has been grown,
even if 1t is removed, as the roots and
stubble will contain considerable nj
trogen. This can not be said of wheat,
corn, oats and various grasses, as all
Of the nitrogen contained in the part
removed comes directly from the soil.
II the proper bacteria is not contained
in the soil scientists tell us that the
legumes may become soil impoverish-
ers the same as other crops, as they
must depend upon the soil for their
supply of nitrogen. The soil must con-
tain the proper bacteria in order that
the legumes may be soil enrichers, and
If it is not naturally in the soil 1t must
be supplied artificially. Soils may be
inoculated so as to give start of bac-
terra by sowing small quantity Of
soil known to contain this bacteria up
on the soil to be inoculated. 1t has re-
Gently been claimed by good authori-
ty that where there is an abundance
of nitrogen already in the soil that the
legumes prefer this to the free nitro
gen of the air, even If there is bacteria
in the soil. Acid soils are not adapted
to the growth of legumes, as the bac-
terra will not flourish in such soils un-
til the acidity is corrected. This may
be done by applying lime to the soil.
The lime will neutralize the acidity.
Nitrogen in its free state constitutes
about four-fifths of the air, SO it is ev-
ident that the legumes have an un-
limited supply within their reach. Nj
trogen combined in the body and seeds
of plants in the ratio of one to G.25
forms protein. This protein is the
most costly element of food. 1t is the
of food which is most used in
building up the muscles and tendons
of animals, and is leading element in
bones. We see that it is necessary
for plants to have nitrogen in order to
lay up protein. Without this protein
the seeds of plants would never ger
inmate. Animals must have protein
In order to grow bones, tendons, and
so without this most costly
element of fertility vegetable or AMI
NAL life would be impossible. So we
may readily see the Importance of the
legumes, as they seem to be the only
natural connecting link between the
natural supply of nitrogen in the air
and the combined nitrogen contained
in the vegetable and animal kingdom.
The legumes seem to be the only
practical means of supply the soil
with nitrogen in order to make good
The losses from the removal of crops
and from bad farming. Since nitro
gen is the most easily wasted element
in the soil, and the rarest element in
The average commercial fertilizer, and
as most crops remove more nitrogen
from the soil than any of the other
elements of fertility it seems that
many farmers are not awake to their
best interest or they would pay more
attention to the cultivation of legumes
Is as illustration of the relative ratio
If the elements Of fertility removed
rom the soil by our leading crops,
will give the following from the lat
st Investigations. Thirty-f1ve bushels
# wheat grown upon an acre of
,round will remove sixty pounds of
nitrogen, thirty-one pounds of potash,
md twenty-four pounds of phosphoric
Icid in the grain and straw; thirty
,ushels Of rye will remove about fifty
'ounds of potash, and twenty-six
'ounds of phosphoric acid; fifty BUSH
Is of corn will remove about sixty
even pounds of nitrogen, eighty
of potash and thirty-one pounds
# phosphoric acid. The average COM
nercial fertilizer recommended for
hese crops contains about ten per
ent of phosphoric acid, two per cent |
f nitrogen, and two per cent potash. |
( two hundred pounds per acre Of this |
ertilizer is applied to one acre of
rheat there will be only about enough |
itrogen in it 20 grow two bushels. and
nough potash to grow four bushels. II |
pplied to one acre of corn the two |
undred pounds of fertilizer would con-
ain only enough nitrogen 10 grow
hree bushels, and not enough potash |
o grow three bushels. If thirty BUSH |
is of wheat are grown per acre the |
oil must furnish nitrogen sufficient to |
row twenty-seven bushels of it. II
fly bushels of corn were grown per
ere, the soil would-b be robbed of suf-
cient nitrogen to grow forty-seven
ushels of it. If nitrogen is purchased \
n a commercial form TO supply this |
efficiency it will cost from fifteen to
wenty cents per pound. No farmer
an afford this. and so the only prac-
ical plan is to rely upon the cultiva-
ion of leguminous crops TO supply this
efciency.-A. ]. Legg, in Agricultural
'pitomist.