The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1908-09-12

he uses the nitrogen from this mine,
It will be replaced with more nitrogen.
The air itself contains uncountable
tons OF nitrogen. and no electrical pro-
cess is necessary TO enable the farmer
TO capture as much OF il as he needs
and transfer il to his soil The whole
family OF legumes--the clover tribe-is
his willing coadjutor in this respect.
BY its employ he is able to provide
abundant stock feed. and AT the same
time fertilizer that will bring his soil
up to the highest notch OF fertility. The
legumes are in reality the very great
est OF the worlds civilizers rs agri-
culture is the basis OF civilization, so
the legumes constitute the backbone
Of agriculture Without them the older
cultivated areas would have long since
ceased their production; in fact without
them there would today be practically
no agriculture and probably but little
oi humanity.
SUITABLE SOIL BUILDERS FOR
EVERY SECTION.
In the United States there are Is
lcgumnous field crops that are more
or less extensively grown, which range
in probable importance, first. red
clover, then alfalfa. then cowpeas, al
sikc. crimson clover, white clover.
Canada peas, soy beans. peanuts. vetch,
velvet beans, Japan clover and burr
clover. Others are utilized TO less ex-
tent. \ number OF plants not generally
known 10 be legumes, such as locust
trees. do their share in transferring
si,. fra,,Y ~ ~ shatT
leaves and thence To the soil There
is usually one legume which has been
iornd lest adapted to each locality.
Ordinary clover is the best known
and most widely planted OF the le-
gumes Its value as a soil enricher
was fully recognized by the carly Ro-
man farmers, although they knew moth
ing OF its nitrogen gathering proclivi-
ties. They supposed that its value lay
in the ability OF its long roots to bring
TO the surface fertility from the lower
soil strata. The fact that the lcgumin-
Gus plants absorbed nitrogen from the
air was not discovered until as late as
1896 although many accurate expert
mcnts had long before proved their
beneficial effect upon the soil.
Pull I'D a clover. alfalfa or cowpea
plant and YOU will have the secret dis
PLAYED before YOU. The roots will
show a multitude 81 small nodules or
cNcrcsccnccs. varying from the size OF
n pin head To- that OF big pea. These
are the nitrogen absorbing agents; but
whence do they come? They are
formed by minute bacteria which in
test the roots. each class OF legumcs
having its particular organism. The
bacteria for instance. which cause the
nodules on the red clover roots will
not develop upon the alfalfa roots, II
YOU plart a cowpca or clover seed in
a pot Of pure sand, in which has been
Sprinklcd n pinch 81 soil from a COW
pea or clover field for the purpose Of
bacterial incubation. and then ferti-
lie the sand exclusively with potash
and phosphate. and no nitrogen or am
monia whatever. you will obtain 4
strong. healthy growth Of vine and
seed. The leaves will be rank OF
growth and dark green. showing that
an abundance Of nitrogen is feeding
the plant-lll automatically obtained
from the air through the root nodules.
WEALTH CAPTURED FROM
THE AIR.
Nitrogen for agricultural icrtliza-
ton, is worth from Is 20 20 cents a
pound. wholesale. so that when il is
known that at the Michigan Agricul-
tural Experiment Station, on average
ground, cowpcas yielded 40 pounds
OF nitrogen per acre. and soy beans II3
pounds. the money value OF the le-
pumc Ia the farmer may be appre-
ciatcd.
Compilations made at the Depart
mcut 81 Agriculture from various
sources show that cured hay OF the
various lcgumcs above mentioned con
tains from 10 to so pounds OF nitrogen
To the ton Land which will produce.
Therefore. , tons oi cured clover or
other lcpuminouS hay to the acre yields
SO to 100 pounds OF nitrogen captured
from the air. and the best way to re.
alizc this SIS or $50 oi icr,ilizing
wealth is To- iced the hay right on the