The Richfield recorder. (Richfield, Idaho) 1909-1931, 1910-06-30

a
million able-bodied men were to oi
fer to work for you; feed, clothe an
pay themselves, and work night AM
day and holidays ,and pay you
bonus besides---would you let them
That's about what science offer
in some Of the new meteorological
cultures that can be procured tt
asist in making the farm, the dai
ry the cheese factory, and a scare
OF other industrial operations sue
cessful.
Only, they're not men subject tc
race wars rheumatism, strikes, sun
stroke, sore fingers, corns or any
of the ordinary or extraordinary all
ments of mankind; but microbes
parasites germs, bugs living organ
isms without soul, but with the
concentrated disposition of the laws
that built the universe, to follow
their appointed way without change
without rest, without end until their
work is done
There are good cultures and bad
ones. The deadly typhoid, the sinai
pox, leprosy, the germ of decay, all
these be.ong to the same genera
class OF minute organisms. But it
is a different work that they do.
The one destroys; the other pro-
teets, and saves. The fermentation
OF vinegar of wine the raising of
bread the souring and ripening Oh
cheese all these are of the good
class. The white corpuscles of the
blood are almost the same Between
these two -clases of germs may en-
Sue the most deadly and relentless
wars. The wars of man are peace
conventions beside these microsco-
pic wars of determination.
All oof which long preliminary is
merely Introductory to the power,
the steadfastness ,and the cultivat-
ed possibilities of these minute or
ganisms that are coming to play so
important a part in the daily life
of this age of science.
The soils of the arod west, while
rich in most of the elements of ex-
ceptional fertility ARE deficient in
nitrogen ,one of the most important
chemical elements of plant growth.
This lack in the older soils of the
East, and of the iong-cuitivated old
world, is supplied by the application
of nitrates, holding free nitrogen in
form that the plant life can take
it up. The nitrate beds of Chilli,
the principal source OF commercial
nitrate have made that country
land of millionaires---and the whole
civilized world pays tribute to them
The great arid West with it's mar
vellously fertile fields is just now
coming into the worlds markets
The need is great for all cultivated
soils need this ogen---especially
the great New West.
Yet everywhere there is more nit
rogen than a dozen worlds could
use---if it were available. 1t is one
of the principal constituents of the
air we breathe. The fields swim in
a sea of nitrogen; but like the An
Client Mariner afloat on the deadly,
salted sea, Water, water every
where, yet not drop to drink or
like the starving hunter in the mids
Of game, but without gun or snare,
It is not available. Nitrogen in the
form of nitric acid,is extracted from
the air by wonderful electric pro-
cess and the myriad waterfalls of
Norway are being utilized to pro-
luce this commercial and agricul-
-ural necessity But not every one
las a great waterfall at comamnd,
)r the technical skill Unnecessary to
operate it.
But here enters science and the
lrmy oflife-saving germs, the lowIy
'rivates of industry that are ready
o work for man without wage, or
shelter, orcare of any kind.
Science has found that all the le-
alta peas beans, vetches,, and all
hose that bear their seeds in pods
have the peculiar quality of gath
ring nitrogen from the air. The
nitrogen appears in little nodules on
he roots Off the plant and might
'e mistaken for a diseased condi-
ion OF the plant. But But instead, they
re really the life of the soil and of
he plant. All, these plants will
ather nitrogen thus If given a fair {
hance. This fixing power
ONES from a archaeological growth (