Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1904-04-30
FARMERAND PLANTER.
LEGUMINOUS CROPS.
In ReplenishinE the Soil with
Valuable Plant Food.


They Are Among the Most Valuable
In RepIenishinE the Soil with
Valuable Plant Food.
Leguminous 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 ard
yetches. These plants have the pow
err 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 It to the use of
the growing plants. This bacteria I'm.
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 a combined state before II
Is available for plant growth, so we
may readily sec the advantage of this
bacteria; It combines the free nitrogen
and makes it available for plant
growth. For growing a leguminous
crop a soil need not contain much nj.
trogen II it contains the bacteria suit
ed to the class of legumes to be
grown, as 1t Is rendered independent
of this most costly element of fertility.
The soil Is left richer in nitrogen after
a crop of legumes has been grown,
v if it 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 directly from the soil.
If the proper bacteria is not contained
in the soil scientists tell us that the
legumes may become soil impoyerish.
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 II must
be supplied artificially. Soils may be
inoculated so as to give a start of bac-
terra by sowing a 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 IN 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 I'M
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-ffths of the air, SO it is ev.
ident that the legumes have an un-
limited supply within their reach. Nj
Ilb6tH tOllDlhtu III tnt UOuN wv SttuS
of plants in the ratio of one to G.25
forms protein. This protein is the
most costly element of food. 1t is the
element of food which is most used in
building up the muscles and tendons
of animals, and is a leading element in
milk and also in the animal matter of
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 v ger
inmate. Animals must have protein
in order to grow bones, tendons, and
muscles; so without this most costly
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
VIZ bliiOSCh III w luh 6Ooh
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.
AS as illustration of the relative ratio
of the elements of fertility removed
from the soil by our leading crops,
will give the following from the lat
est Investigations. Thirty-five bushels
of wheat grown upon an acre OF
ground will emove sixty pounds OF
nitrogen, %thirty-one pounds of potash,
and twenty-four pounds of phosphoric
acid in the grain and straw; thirty
bushels of rye will remove about fifty
one pounds of nitrogen, forty-lve
pounds of potash, and t~wenty-six
pounds Of phosphoric acid; fifty bush
els of corn will remove about sixty
seven pounds Of nitrogen, eighty
pounds of potash and thirty-one pounds
of phosphoric acid. The average com
mercial fertilizer recommended for
these crops contains about ten per
cent of phosphoric acid, two per cent
Of nitrogen, and two per cent potash.
If two hundred pounds per acre of this
fertilizer is applied to one acre of
wheat there will be only about enough
nitrogen in it TO grow two bushels, and
enough potash to grow four bushels, II
applied to one acre of corn the two
hundred pounds of fertilizer would con-
tain only enough nitrogen to grow
three bushels, and not enough potash
to grow three bushels. II thirty bush
els of wheat are grown per acre the
soil must furnish nitrogen sufficient to
grow twenty-seven bushels of it. II
fifty bushels of corn were grown per
acre, the soil would be robbed of suf-
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