Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-10-28
QUESTION AND ANSWER DEPARTMENT
THE VALUE OF AN AGRICULTURAL SURVEY

The rich rewards which Investigations
Of the soil offer the scientist and the
farmer alike are not appreciated as they
should be. II is only 50 years ago
since the relation OF bacteria to disease
Was discovered Later Is was found
oIt that they had a definite relation 10
the welIbeing OF both plants and ami
mails II was not until 1870 that French
investigators established the relation OF
living organisms to the process OF nj
trification without which plants can not
utilize nitrogen in any OF its various
compounds. The transformation OF nj
trogen into ammonia and into nitrates.
the form in which this material is used
by plants is exceedingly difficult in'
the laboratory: Yet IL is one OF the cas-
lest things TO accomplish in the soil,
provided the bacteria essential TO this
feat are found therein in abundance
Since they are contained in large num-
bers in yard manure. this accounts for
one OF the reasons why il gives a bene-
Mt out OF all proportion 20 the apparent
amount OF plant food which IL contains
IL was not until 1855 that German inves-
tigztors discovered the nitrogen-fixing
bacteria in the soil and their co-opera-
ton with leguminous plants in assimi-
lsting the free nitrogen Of the air and
storing IL I'm the leaves tissues and
grain OF crops OF this character. The
Importance OF this discovery has never
been appreciated as IL should be, for IL
meant that an adequate supply OF nitro
gen could be secured for the needs OF
plants and animals. and the destruction
Of the human race which many thought
imminent because Of the limited supplies
Of nitrogen available in artificial forms
forever averted-
In comparatively recent times it has
been discovered that there is second
class OF nitrogen bacteria existing in
the soil independent Of all the others,
and which have the power apparently OF
assimilating and storing up nitrogen II
is thought for instance. that this class
has been chiefly Instrumental in enrich
ing the lands OF the western prairies. Yet
we are only beginning to suspect their
presence, and understand comparativ
little OF their functions or OF the great
part they may be made to play in human
destiny when a complete knowledge OF
the service which they may render man
kind has beer acquired
For instance, when soils are steriliZ-
ed by heats or by the use OF anesthet-
les. the yields are greatly increased.
From heating the soil the yield was
doubled. and from soil treated with
chIoroform the increase was 30 per
cent. Russell and Hutchinson, two in
vestigators of the Rothamsted expert
menf station. have made the astonish-
ing discovery that I'm the heated soil
there Is a wonderful increase in the am
ulonIa content beyond what would nat
uraIIy be expected. Through recent in
vestigations they have discovered
protozoan organism in the soil which
NAV be classed as among the lowest
forms OF animal life. Yet IL feeds large
~. IL not exclusively, on the nitrogen
forming bacteria of the soil. Strange
TO say. when the soil is heated or treat
ed with a sterilizing agent this amoeba-
like creature Is destroyed. and the nj
trogen-forming bacteria being unopposed
multiply with tremendous rapidity. 1t
thus appears that the fertility Of the land
10 after all largely dependent on the
various forms OF microscopic organisms
the existence Of which has not been re-
allied through all the centuries elaps-
ing since creation. and the existence Of
which we are now just beginning TO
suspect but do not as yet understand how
to handle for the material increase or
our farm crops.
There are some who might look upon
discussions of this kind academic or
too strictly theoretical 10 be OF inter
est OF value to the layman- While no
practical application OF the discoveries OF
Russell and Hutchinson has been found
as yet. the mere realization OF the ex-
istence Of these friendly bacteria will
sooner or later result in the discovery
OF a method BY which they may be made
TO serve as important a purpose in COS
mic economy as the bacteria which as
sociate with the leguminous crops.
This brief summary of some recent in
vestigations with soils has been in
Guided with the idea OF strengthening in
the mind OF the layman the necessity
for making an agricultural survey. and
for investigating the soil, its flora and
fauna. and their relation to life in the
most exhaustive manner. for out OF IL
will be ultimately secured the means by
which potency is TO be given to human
effort and the food supply OF the world
insured for generations