Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-10-25

They were not able to isolate the &C
tive principle on account of the DIM
Guilty of having an opaque substance
! like earth, under the microscope
They have found enough, however, to
cause a. D. Hall, director OF the
Rothamsted station, to assert that
they had made the most important
contribution to the knowledge OF SOILS
since the discovery that nitrogen
could be taken from the air and nxeo
In the ground as fertilizer.
About half~a century has passed
since German scientists found that IN
the roots OF certain plants were
friendly bacteria that aided the farmer
BY adding nitrogen to the soil. 1t has
been known that whatever increases
4 the activity of these bacteria benefits
the soil but someties there would be
I loss that defed ordinary explana-
lions. Fertility depends directly upon
the efficiency OF the bacteria that are
working for the farmers interests, as
these small organisms prepare the
food that Is used in the growth OF
many crops, much as other bacteria
transform sewage.
Heat Often Remedy.
According to some estimates the
farmers never recover in crops more
than half OF the nitrogen put into the
soil az fertilizer. The waste IS
ascribed to lack Of efficiency on the
part Of the bacteria, the energies OF
which have been wasted in struggles
with hostile organisms
Or. Russell said that partial sterlli-
zation OF the soil by heat or treatment
with volatile antiseptfcs, such as
toluene, caused 4 notable increase IN
productiveness and that much more
plant food was formed by the bacteria.
nv means Of several tests 1T was
found that, this increased activity was
not due to heightened vigor on the
part Of the bacteria, but to an I'M
.nroyement Of the environment. It was
found that untreated soil contained
some Injurious factor that was not
washed out by water and that was
slow in making its influence felt. IN
untreated soil the scientists found
from 100000 to 100000 bacteria in
each grain. In treated soil the num-
her reached 100000
/ Thase investigations led to the con-
clusion that there is hostile organism
In the soil that Is larger than the
bacteria and that 1t is not easily as.
tached from It's surroundings Severai
larger organisms were found IN tns
sodI and at least one OF them shoWed
ability to destroy bacteria.
Oldest Of All Stations.
nnthamsted. where the discovery
vas made. ID the oldest and most fam
ons a. Ill agricultural experimental
stations. At this farm scienttfic rec
rrds have been kept since 1S43. some
n the work dating back as far as 1889.
The farm was established by Sir John
nennet Lawes, whose chief aid IN the
vork for more than half . century was
sir Joseph Henry Gilbert.
The founder OF the station divided
M estate into several fields, which
$50 farmed according to established
custom and the results we're studied
.rsentdGcally In order to ind out ex-
arfly how much fertility was gained.
- lost. Tho history Of this work CO.
sncides with that Of the development
81 scientific agriculture. Numerous
theories had been announced by
rciantists who were studying plant
~ INT natures verdict was lacking,
hNm60
1aIds we're decided upon.
Many of the experiments dealt Wltn
.he relation OF nitrogen to agriculture.
Ilebix. the noted German scientist as.
serted that II plant were suppneu
Nth the mineral constituents wnlcn
later appear - ash when 1t Is burnt
4 VII need no further assistance as re-
rards fertilizer, Is it can draw It's
carhon and nitrogen from the atmos-
rhare. The men at Rothamsted did
not accept this theory. but they de-
st.rmined to ind out the truth by
actual tests.
1eans Show Theory Correct.
while the tests were going on other
.c,.ntists found out that Lieb1gs
theory was correct in regard to GER
tain crops, such as beans, alfalfa, etc.
On the roots OF certain plants were
fnnnd nodules in which were bacteria
that did the work Of transforming nj
troren to useful purposes in the nelds.
rhis theory was tested at Rothamsted
end was verified. Since then num-
ernus other theories have been de-
.yeloned. many of which cannot stand
a the light OF the present discovery
on one OF the fields at Rotbtmsted
wheat has been grown continuously
.;rr~ 1914. On another wheat is
crown one year and the ground lies
ALLOW the next. a practice similar TO
that now common in some of the west.
arm states. A third field has been de-
voted to barley since 1851. In addi-
ZION there have been experiments IN
rotations of crops, with potatoes and
with hay.
one of the interesting discoveries is
that it is possible to grow cereal
'rrop. such as wheat. year after year,
nroyjded suitable manure is used to
replace ihe nitrogen. phcsphoric acid,
and potash removed by the crops BY
5carefullc keeping UP the soil in this
names whsS. has been grown stead