The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-03-03
IMPORTANT A. AID D.
'TO..5.TH Farmers: |: | !.

rhe question q SOIL tfno culation Tor the
production sof various leguminous crops
Y Is now prominently before RI no PUBIC.
1 RealisinEEtha Importance Of this subject
/, to virginia farmers, the Virginia. Flxperli.
rncnt Station, through It's Depart:f TIN ol
lBacteriology has ,,nd ertaker the pre- ?, pa
ration OF inocnating ma erial for q,
lvctches, cowpeas and soy beans. THIS ms
| york Is IN charge OF Dr.. Meade Fergu
son, bactcroogist OF the station. The ne
various cultures mentioned are 10 " In the
course 8 T. prcpara ton and will bo 4 ready
Recommendations IN ample time for inocu-
latInk sol y for an of the hove crops
this spring. Enough of the particular
bacteria applied 70 r to inoculnte five acres
of land will be sent 70 any IA rner resid
/ Ing In, tho state on tho following cohdl-3
lions: S59 a !. IA As. "a
ls4;5Twenty cents will BIO charged for
sufficient material to Sinoculate one acre
OF land. This charge il not made for the
service OF our bacterlologlst, but simply
Il to Eovcr tho cost n Of con tall Tor
#the{solution that can be transmit ted with
safety through the mails, and also 70 pay
postage. 81 al tho labor Of inoculating and
preparing these cultures for distribution
lin the State Is being borne by the sta
ton, but the authorities believe that II
tho bacteria will uccomplisf any thing
Like the results claimed for them, that
persons A receiving y the ma terlal gratis
would be glad to pay the small 4 charge
Imposed Il for pa cking and mailing which
4 the station has no legitimate means Of
meeting, and us this offer Is made to all
tho farmers of the State. It lis clear that
the burden would be greater han the
Strengthened finances of the sta ton could
they will contain printed directions 5as
to how to use the bacteria most effec-3
lively. ~ a blank will also be enclosed and
lit lis expected u that every farmer recclv--
ing q Spackag will report OF tho end Of
Z the gro wing season to K the station (. all-,
tfns sies On the result s of his work his
infy nation Is desired In order that tho
effectiveness Of soil iliocillation for the
GRIPS mentioned may be eftnitely "a seer
tatncd. Si &, rs +5 Frj5s N
i s. The va uer OF incubation becomes aI1-8
parent when & It Is stated that farmers
lean often secure good stands OF alfalfa
land are q BILE to grow the crop fairly we'll
/ for one OF, two Years y q fter whc It
sickens and dles.i I t seems as a ruiz that
when these results follow no nodules have
formed on I he roots Of the plants, and,
as the bacteria which give the plant itsS
power 1 Of Stimulating 5n ospherc nitro
Z gen. reside lin these noe Jules, the cause
Of death Is apparent. Tho great Yalue sof
/ legumlnous crops lies IN 4 their DO WertFto
gather atmospheric nj trogen and store$it
|infthe soil through the action OF the bac-5
| teria just described. Therefore, the im-8
portance Of inocula lion becomes AZ appa-
rent. @ for, atinospheric nitrogen Gun be
stored In the soil %nt a very low cost to
the farmer whereas he + has to 81 pay \ at
least fifteen cents a pound for It Il in IA
commercial form. The station believes
that in u Offering these cultures to the
farmers that i is doing a work OF pro-
nounced value for the advancement OF the
agricultural interests of the State. These
cultures are guaranteed to be pure and
true! to name, and ! II Is believed that
hundreds of farmers will BIO glad to avail
! themselves of gthe opportunity presented
to test the merits OF artificial soil inocu-
lation.s , . !, !. :