The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-01-12

gumes alone among common plants
have the nitrogen producing bacteria
on their roots. they always have high
value as fertilizers OF the soil. lnocu-
lation of soil consists of injecting it
with the kinds of bacteria for most
successfully growing the legumes de-
sired. When a new legune is intro
duced. the bacteria are likely to be
lacking. In the east nearly all soils
have to be inoculated before lucern or
soy beans will flourish. Soil is taken
from field already inoculated and
scattered on the new land, about 200
! pounds to the acre. Sweet clover in
oculates alfalfa SOIL after which lucern
usually thrives. In the west the iegumes
do well without incubation of the soil.
the bacteria usually being present
What Soil Is Made OF.
The careful student will finally ask
what soil consists of. This can be found
cut only by chemical analysis, but the
results can be understood by all.
Oxygen occurs in the soil in free
state and combined with all the ele-
ments except flourine Silicon with
oxygen forms silica, or quartz, which
composes half of the known rocks and
| is the chief part of nearly all soils.
Carbon occurs in the soil united with
calcium and magnesium as carbonates,
and with oxygen as carbon dioxide. But
the plant gets the carbon of its food
from the air.
Sulphur occurs as sulfids united with
iron, lime and magnesia, With oxygen
and calcium ii forms gypsum. fertil-
| iZer. Sulphur is now believed TO be
necessary to plant substance.
Hydrogen acts in water, which makes
up so. much of plant substance, and
which carries in solution all plant food
found In soil.
Chlorine is neither large in amount
nor important, but part of common
salt, IL is found in all waters. Chlorine
enters into the tissue of all plants.
Phosphorus is never found except in
combination, but is constituent of all
the oldest rocks: from these it gets into
* il, whence plants gather and prepare
il for animals.
Nitrogen, the most abundant element
in the air. is one of the least abundant
ir rCck. 1t forms part of humus, from
which the microscopic bacteria convert
il into nitric acid The latter unites
with potash and lime, and forms a
soluble salt to be taken UP by plant
roots, and so to form those heterogeneous
plant products essential in animal food.
Boron and fluorine occur in a small
percentage in soil and plants. Borax
contains boron and Iceland spar con-
tain fluOrine.
Aluminium is the third element in
abundance in the soil. 1t is not d plant
! food, but is a part of clay. which re-
suits from the decay of feldspar,
d portion of granite rock. This ele-
ment is important in water holding
and in the consequent decay of soils.
| Calcium and magnesium united with
lime stone make the lime beds of the
world. Magnesium and lime are indis-
/ pensable to plant life.
Potassium is a very essential element
of plant food. 1t is always present in
soils, but is so soluble that it teaches
away and the soil gives out. Potash
from rocks replenishes the supply. 1t is
obtained from the nitrate, also from
the kainite of dried ocean beds, and
from the ashes of plants; and likewise
from nitTe.
Sodium is the basis of salt. 1t is a
hindrance, but in the form of saltpetre,
sodium nitrate is used as a fertilizer,
especially for the nitric acid which it
contains.
Iron and manganese are abundant;
the red and yellow ochres and soils are