The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1910-05-28

with the soil in which our crops grow
A quarter of century ago many Of
the things which are known today
would have been laughed at II ANYONE
had had the temerity to PROFOUND them
as facts. Other things which were
known were accounted for on different
grounds from those which are held to-
day. The microscope has shown
many things which the chemists re-
torts did not explain, and as the days
go on it is safe to say that retort and
microscope between them will enable
man to say exactly what is the mat
ter with piece of land that has grown
unproductive.
One of the epoch-making discoveries
was that of nitrogen-fxing bacteria,
and when someone with the necessary
talent grasps and perfects an idea for
putting these bacteria to their proper
use, there will be revolution in the
methods of applying manure to the
soil. A few years before the discov
cry of the nitrogen-fxing bacteria two
German Investigators found that the
earth, or at least that portion of it
within few inches of the surface, was
teeming with microscopic life, and the
study of these small inhabitants of the
soil has proceeded ever since. AS they
become better known their functions
in the ground are being discovered.
and soon the farmer who is up to date
will require to be biologist on small
scale as well as tiller of the ground.
There has, however, been develop
ment in one direction which began
nearly twenty-five years ago. Phyllox-
era was prevalent in France and viii
culturists were searching for some
thing to kill the insect. The idea OF
poisoning it with gas was evolved, and
of carbon was thrust into
the ground near the roots of the vines,
the intention being that the gas aris-
ing from it as it votalized would stifle
the phyllovera. Needless to say, it was
not thoroughly successful, but it was
noticed afterwards that vegetation
growing from the place where the BIZ
sulphide Of carbon had been injected
was more luxuriant than that on the
land.
AS curious fact, it was also noted
that another chemical, toluene, acted
on the soil, and the further
discovery was afterward made that
when chlOroform was used there was
like result. These facts were duly re-
corded, but nobody could give any ex-
PLANTATION of them. Still, experiment.
ers went on trying, and it became ac-
copied that if land is treated vita
either of these substances for two days
and the gas completely evaporates, the
yield from that land is increased from
twenty to forty percent.
Chemists in trying to sterilize soil
by heating it to the temperature OF
boiling water for two hours noticed
that productiveness was stimulated in
The soil so treated, and the idea was
then evolved that the heat drove OH
ieleterious ingredients from the land.
From this it was reasoned that plants
in flower pots which were dropping
and unthrifty might be revived by
pouring boiling water into the soil in
The pot, taking care, of course, that
It did not touch the stalk of the plant.
The boiling water coming through the
bottom of the flower pot was supposed
70 leach out and carry away with it
some chemicals that were doing harm
% the plant. At all events increased
was noticed after this
treatment But still the reason why
his was so remained a mystery.
Now, however, Drs. Russell and
of the Rothamstead Lab
,ratory, in England, seem TO have
golved the problem. They found that
he feature distinguishing the treated
rom untreated soil was the increased |
ate at which ammonia was produced |
rom the heterogeneous reserves in the |
oil. The treatment itself seems to set |
rec some ammonia, but it is small in |
with the quantity which is
formed.
This explained the matter. Am
nonia is form of nitrogen in which |
t may be used by the growing plant, |
nd when there is abundance of this
he plant is able to pick up the minera!
matters it requires. This was found
nut by chemical analysis. Bacteria
ogical Investigations supplied the
ther part of the reason. The treat
nent with heat or volatile antiseptics !,
oes not completely sterilize the soil:
undoubtedly wipes out certain
roups Of bacteria, most notably those
Which form nitrate from ammonia, but
be majority of the other@species are
till represented, although their num-
ers are greatly reduced. These or
anisms which produce spores survived
be heat and the gases-the heat killed
e more of the bacteria than the gases