The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-08-07
D0CT0R|NG
THE SOIL
Results Of lnoculation
By Wizard With
Nitrogen.

Department of Agriculture, but from
Canada to the cotton belt a grateful
army Of producers are profiting by the
paternal and helping hand of Uncle
Sam. The Bureau of Plant Industry,
through the researches of it's noted
pathologist, DR.. George T. Moore, has
given to the public the secret of
discovery which will prove of incalcula-
BILE value to the tillers of the soil. At
a most trifling cost impoverished land
is made fertile and highly productive
through it's incubation with nitro
gen. The laboratory experiments of
DR.. Moore have been put to many prac-
tical tests throughout the United
States which have shown wonderful
results.
It is generally known that nitrogen
composes nearly 20 per cent of the air
that we breathe, and, also, that it is
essential to plant life. Among the
ancients, Pliny commented on the adj
vantage Of a rotation Of crops. It was
observed long ago that a large yield
of grain could be obtain from a field in
which the leguminous plants, such as
during the previous year. While in
practice this fertilization was self-evi-
dent, the theory of it's cause remained
unsolved. Some years ago a German
scientist concluded that the legumi-
nosae absorbed nitrogen from the air
and stored the surplus in the ground,
much to it's enrichment. He also no.
ticed that certain small white nodules
on the root of the plant varied in size
proportionately to the vigor Of the
plant. Submitting some of these nod
ules to a microscopical examination,
he discovered that they were swarm
ing with bacteria, and that these or
ganisms were possessed of the power
of absorbing nitrogen and conveying
it into the ground.
Professor Noble Of Germany fore
placing on the market variety of Gull
tured bacteria that would develop nj
trogenous nodules on leguminous plants
which would intensity their powers Of
fertilization. He succeeded in breed
ing bacteria in his laboratory, and
placed his cultures on the market, CIV
ing them the name nitragin. Unfor-
tunately for Noble, it was found that
while these bacteria were saturated
with nitrogen, their infusion Of that
element into the soil was of short-liv-
ed benefit. They had literally been
overfed with nitrogen, and had become
SO enervated that they had lost their
inherent power Of fixing nitrogen, and
utterly failed to nitrify the land.
In the laboratory of plant physiology
at Washington DR.. Moore conducted
series of experiments, beginning where
Professor Noble had come to halt.
He developed a type of bacteria pos
sessing from five to ten times the
''nitrogen-fi fixing power" of those con-
tanned in the normal state. These
useful germs were imbued with habits
of vigorous self-reliance, and unlike
the satiated, pampered bacteria of
= AOASSoOA ASOOOCS pAOSCSoC0 AAASlAy W
absorb the much desired nitrogen,
conveying it into the ground. DR..
Moore was again gratified by the first
results of ''inoculation'' on practical
scale. Various legumes. peas, beans.
clover and alfalfa, were impregnated
with these invigorated germs, and
rapidly developed large tubercles, while
the plants grew to unusual size and
productiveness. The phenomenal, fic-
tional Food of the Gods so volumin-
ously, although graphically, described
by H. G.. Wells in his book of that
name, had it's counterpart in real life
in the results derived from this won
derful fertilizing agent.
DR.. Moore, having prepared a LIQUID
swarming with bacteria, desired to find
more convenient medium by which
he could ship his germs. He promptly
utilized cotton as an absorbent, and.
having saturated this substance with
his bacterial cultures, he dried the
germ charged texture, and found that
his invention was in proper condition
for transmission through the mails.
The Department of Agriculture /.
| now distributing this marvellous fer
NA-ASA eiho0SAoul the 0utlro country.
1t Is sent in three packages marked /.
and 3, and accompanied with most
explicit directions. Package No. 2 con-
sists of a small quantity of cotton
containing millions Of dried, though
virile, germs. Packets l and 8 contain
the food, or media, through which the
farmer is enabled to propagate these
| desirable bacteria.
Ihe contents of packet 1, composed
OF graduated sugar. potassium phos-
phate and magnesium sulphate. are
carefully dissolved in a gallon of clean
water. The germ saturated cotton in
the second package is then dropped
INTO the solution, which, in a covered
tuo. is set in warm place, where the
temperature is not above blood heat.
After twenty-four hours, ammonium
| phosphate, contained in package 8. is
added to the solution. and in about
twenty hours the preparation is ready
| for use.
The next step is to inoculate the
seed This Is moistened with the So
tuition and dried in shady place,
thereby giving new life.