The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-09-28
Inoculation for IeguInes.

There seems to be a great deal of
misunderstanding III regard to the
matter Of incubation, or the introduce
ton of the bacteria that live on the
roots Of leguInes and enable them to
get nitrogen from the air. Many peo-
pie have an idea that the presence of
these bacteria is essential to the
growth of the lesumeS. The fact IS
that no incubation will avail anything
if the soil is in such condition that
the bacteria cannot thrive in it.
If your soil is acid and deficient in
lime, no amount of incubation will do
any good, for the acidity Of the soil
will destroy the bacteria; and the le-
gumes, with the single exception of
the cowpea, will not thrive in acid
conditions of the soil.
But if the soil is sweet and abund-
antly supplied with plant food any
1eSume Will thrive, ~inOculated or not.
But without the incubation it will not
be able to get and combine the free
nitrogen from that which is plentiful
in the soil. incubation 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 a soil abundantly supplied
with lime and plant foo even if the
bacteria are entirely absent.
~Inoculation is an aid simply be
cause it enables the plant to get nitro
gen, But if the soil is our no inocu-
lation will avail. Therefore. to get the
fun value of the iegUmeS in the i'm
proVement of our soil We must aScer-
tain the condition of the soil, and If
acid, we must restore its alllalinity by
applications Of lime before making an
effort to inoculate it with nitrogen
fixing bacteria.
Il saw a beautiful piece OF alfalfa last
week which was just ready for the
y(s-l a-+tir~ 7 r-ao or.nyviIar on n
deep sandy soil near the barn and had
been made solely by liberal applfca-
tons of stable manur that keeps the
soil sweet and productive. but / do
not believe it is doing anything to-
wards getting nitrogen from he air,
though making large crops of hay. 1t
Is simply taking the plant food that IS
abundantly supplied to it every year.
The greater part of the failures of
lover to grow have been due more
TO the lack Of plant food in an acid
soil than to the lack of incubation,
for clover viii not thrive in acid CON
ditions any more thar the bacteria
Will, and the first thing to be lone is
to sWeeten the soil. I do not mean to
discourage the efforts TO get the soil
jnoculated, for the fixing Of the free
nitrogen from the air is the greatest
feature connected with the growing Of
Iegunle crops, and if we want to get
fiC btSt ICSuiLS from TIE IeSuiI1eS II
IS important that they get the inocu-
lation. Last summer I was shown a
small part Of a field Of peas on which
the owner had applied some nitrate
OF soda. The growth was immensely
superior, but the plants were simply
getting the abundant nitrogen in the
soil n were not doing as much fix
ing Of the free nitrogen as the others
hat had not SO much IN the soil. It
has been found in Delaware that on
land where the crimson clover form
erly acquired a great deal of the free
nitrogen. as the soil became better
supplied with nitrogen from the re-
peated turning under Of the clover in
the peach orchards, the plants fixed
much less nitrogen because there was
plenty IN the soil for them and the
bacteria, too.
Get the land sweet and well sup
Piled with pnosphoric acid and pot
ash, and the bacteria. will thrive and
the legumes will get the nitrogen from
the air. Make the 1and sweet and rich
with heterogeneous nlanures and the
legunes will thrive, but will get little
nitrogen from the air.
Gathering, Packing and Shipping
Apples.