The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-10-02

Misunderstanding In regard to the
matter OF incubation. or the intro
duction of the bacteria that live on
the roots of legumes and enable them
to get nitrogen from the air. Many
people have the idea that the pres
ence of these bacteria is essential to
the growth Of the legumes. The fact,
Is. that no incubation will avail any
thing II the soil Is in such condition
that the bacteria cannot thrive in 1t.
II your soil Is acid and deficient in
lime. 40 amount Of incubation will do
any good. for the acidity of the soil
VIII destroy the bacteria; and the le-
gumes. with the single exception Of
the cowpea will not thrive in acid con-
ditions In the soil.
But II the soil 10 sweet and abun-
dainty supplied with plant food any
legume will thrive, inoculated or not.
But without the incubation it will
not be able to get and combine the
free nitrogen from the air. and will,
like other plants. get It's nitrogen
from that which Is plentiful in the
SOIL Inoculation simply helps the
plant to get nitrogen and thrive
where nitrogen is deficient in the soil,
but any legume plant may grow and
thrive in soil abundantly supplied
With lime and plant food even IL the
'acteria are entirely absent.
incubation Is an aid simply be-
cause IL enables the plant to get nitro
gen. But II the soil Is sour, no inoc-
ulation will avail. Therefore, to get
the full value of the legumes in the
Improvement Of our soil we must as
certain the condition of the SOIL and
II acid. we must restore its alltalinity
by applications of lime before making
an effort to inocualte it with the nj
trogen-fixing bacteria.
saw beautiful piece of alfalfa
'ast week, which was Just ready for
the third cutting. 1t was growing on
a deep sandy soil near the barn and
had been made solely by liberal ap-
plications of stable manure that keeps
the soil sweet and productive, but /
do not believe that 1t Is doing any
thing towards getting nitrogen from
the air, though making large crops of
hay. 1t Is simply taking the plant
food that is abundantly supplied to 1t
every year.
The greater part of the failures of
clover to grow have been due more
to lack Of plant food in an acid soil
than to the lack of incubation, for
clover will not thrive in acid condi-
tons any more than the bacteria will.
and the first thing to be done is tc
sweeten the soil. I do not mean To
discourage the efforts to get the soil
inoculated, for the fixing of the free
nitrogen from the air is the greatest
feature connected with the growing
of iegume crops. and il we want to
set the best results from the legurl.s
1t Is important that they get the moe.
uiation. Last summer l was shown a
small part of field Of peas on which
the owner had applied some nitrats
or soda. The growth was immensely
superior. but the plants were simply
getting the abundant nitrogen in the
soil and were not doing as much 6x-
'aS or the free nitrogen as the Others
that had not so much in thc soil u
mas Teen found I'm Delaware that on
iani where the crimson Glove, form.
CrIy acquired great deal OF the free
| nitrogen, as the soil became better
supplied with nitrogen from the re-
Peated turning under of the clover in
, '"e peach orchards, the plants fixed
! mach less nitrogen because there was
iiel'ty In ,he soil for them and the
ac.criG, too.
Get tha land sweet and well sun
&c liza phJ ..hJy,u ac.. an, .o,a =,
J "1d the bacteria will thrive ana the
sumos will get the nitrogen from
'ie air. Make the land sweet and
rich with heterogeneous manures and
! the legumes will thrive, but will get
/ httie nitrogen from the air.-Progres-
! sive Farmer.
i