The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-04-06
BACTERIA REVIVE
WORKOUT ] SOIL !,
Nitrogen Factories Of Proven
Worth Must Now Be Bought
by Farmers.

by Farmers.
BY w. w. Jermane.
Washington, April 6.-Bacteriologi- |
GUS plants, altho in it's application in
this country less than three years old,
has passed the experimental stage. Com
mercial concerns have taken up the dis
tribution of the cultures, and the de-
partment of agriculture is deluged with
applications for cultures of self-inocu..
lated bacteria. Letters at the rate OF
q thousand a day are coming in asking
that the department, send to farmers
ilitatiom of worn-out soil.
The agricultural department has
been obliged to disapPoint most OF
these applicants. Secretary Wilson has
announced that while the department
will not cease to, produce. and and
distribute these cultures, it will
not !! undertake a:f7 to supply them m, to
Department. has been carrying on an
experiment and is still experimenting.
1t has thus far distributd the cultures
to ascertain their value in practice.
Reports of Experiments.
In carrying out the idea of interest
ing the farmers in the meteorological
experiment, the agricultural department
requested reports from all persons to
that arrangement the department sent
out l2,490 packages of the inoculating
material between November, 1902, and
November, 1904. These cultures were
distributed promiscuously to every state
and territory and tried under all sorts
Of conditions. Virginia leads the list
Of states, having used l,137; New
Maryland, ia; Massachusetts, so5;
Minnesota, 95 and Wisconsin, 100.
Direct benefit is reported in more
than IS per cent Of the cases. This is
as good a result as has been obtained by
seedsmen who send out perfectly sound
and healthy seed. The result is all the
more remarkable in view Of the haphaz-
ard experiments. ~..,
Ignorance in handling the culture,
reports of failures there, were cases
where the cultures had been placed on
ice to preserve them; where they had
heeT boiled before using; where the
whole unopened package had been
placed in hole in the ground. Others
blunder almost as badly by trying to
fertilize crops of corn, wheat, potatoes
or onions by means Of the bacteria, not
withstanding the fact that they are
only of direct benefit to legumes, such
LAS alfalfa, clover, peas and beans.
| Not All Crops Helped.
There is no claim by the department
that the cultures are beneficial to the
soil or to crops under all circumstances.
They must be applied thru legumes.
Where the object is the enrichment of
the soil for other crops, the bacteria are
applied thru cow peas or other legumes.
In that way the soil is permanently en-
riched. 1t will be better for any crop
With the soil bacteria it is not case
of "to him that hath shall it be
= given.' Psychological cultures are
most generous to povertystricken soils
which need them most. They do some
good to better soils, but in soils rich il
nitrogen, they are of no advantage.
But even tho the value of these cul
lures has been demonstrated, the de
partment Of agriculture cannot under
take to handle them as a commercial
venture, and commercial concerns have
undertaken to supply the demand. The
cultures are better distributed thr,
seedmen thruout the country and the
business promises to develop rapidly.
) Fortunately. the agricultural depart
ment' has had the process patented s, Sc
private concerns. Ali culture propa
gators are free to use the process. L Il
any company has the. necessary equip
ment, department experts will instruct
it's men in getting the processes unde,
way. While the department. has no
undertaken to watch over the firms 90
ing into the cultivation of soil bacteri'
as a. business, or to guarantee thei
product, it does keep benevolent ey
upon them. It has bought in the ope1
market cultures prepared by these firms
5 tested them and found them all right
This line of interest will be. maintained
Nitrogen Is Essential.
Nitrogen, the element supplied b,
bacteria, is the most costly fertilizinI
element.
Nitrogen, too, is the element mos
l. and to be exhausted i'm their rehabilits
ot ton. No nitrogen, no food. And tn
j. nitrogen Of the air is not available flo
lr the plant until it has PASSED thru tn
st soil laboratory. The bacteriologica
m culture may be the means of securin
~ the needed supply of the precious stuff
m These cultures produce nodules upon tn
nodules enable the plant to take nitro
u gen from the air and transfer it to tn
soil. ", =. = ssss.assi. 4 :,
a Lime and other elements are sti
, needed as fertilizer. The bacteriolog
d. cal cultures will not take their place
The meteorological culture. therefor
I'd has it's limitations. It applies directl
fy only to legumes, does not supply a
If the elements which may be exhauste
H. by continued cropping, and can be mad
s. to benefit such crops as wheat, corn an
s, cotton only by rotation Of crops, pr
D. ceding these staples by some legum
!, Once inoculated, a soil will remain j
t. oculated for several years, altho d
t, voted to crops other than legume
~ Then, when the legume is again plante
of the soil betterment is taken up agai
d. This is one reason why the bacteria a.
nd so cheap and effective in lettering tt
nv soil. 81.
M While soil-inoculating bacteria Gu
~ lures are not a papAcea for all the il
A. of the farmer cursed with poor so
s- their use may in many instances NAL
e. the difference between success al
failure.
The records Of the day-deatf
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