Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1911-05-05
FARM AND .4!l,5!' ORCHARD
Notes and Instructions from Experiment Stations
of Oregon Washington Coast Conditions

general Hedltn ana luXur1ance OF the
plant was in direct proportion to the
abundance of these nodules. Very
poorly growing crops were found to
be deficient in root nodules. moder-
ately successful crops were found to
contain an average number of nodules,
while very healthy growths occurred
only In association with numerous
nodules.
This coincidence led to an investi-
cations of the nature of the nodule or
tubercle. 1t was at first thought to
be OF the nature of a disease, but
this was soon seen to be erroneous
because of the fact already stated.
l. e., the coincidence of tubercles and
health of the crop. The rise of bac-
teriology as science near the mid
die of the last century gave impulse
to the investigation of soil processes
from the standpoint of bacteria. It
was, as a result of this investigation,
found that the nodules were the re.
suit of bacterial action. In soil which
is rendered sterile by excessive heat
ing or by the APPLICATION of antiseptics,
but which contains all the food ma
terials for plant growth except nitro
gen, it was found that If the soil
were not allowed to become con-
taminated the lcgumes failed to grow
beyond a certain point. If the same
soil were later contaminated or mixed
with earth from field which had
grown certain legumes, it was found
that growth was luxuriant. This sug-
gested that the process was caused
by live organisms of some sort.
Ii one of the nodules from the root
of a legume is cut open and the con.
tents examined by the aid of a pow
erful microscope it will be discovered
to contain millions of bacteria. 1t is
now known that these bacteria ex-
tract from the air the nitrogen which
they build or help to build up Into
plant tissue. Exactly how they do it
is to quite an extent unknown.
Only legumes have the power to
utilize atmospheric nitrogen and these
only by the cooperation of bacteria.
Each legume Is thought to have a
special kind of bacterium, although
they are all very closely related, un-
doubtedly. The chemical reaction of
the soil very materially affects the
action of the organisms. They will
not thrive in acid SOIL Consequently
soil which is acid should be lined
before crop Of this nature is grown.
Soil which has never grown leg
umes before or which has not grown
legumes for three or more years may
profitably be inoculated with legume
bacteria as preparation for growing
the crop. This incubation may be
accomplished in one of two ways.
either by scattering soil from leg.
luminous field to the field to be
seeded, or by using pure culture"
of the bacterium. This pure cul-
ture" Is simply growth of the
bacteria on media or food of some
kind. The culture is sent out In
bottles which are tightly corked to
prevent entrance of any other Or
ganism, and are to be used If possible
within 20 days Of their receipt. Bac-
terra do not grow well in bright or
diffuse light and soil bacteria do not
thrive at very warm temperature.
Consequently these cultures should
not be exposed to light or high tenn
perature for any considerable period
of time. Direct sunlight will kill them
If continued for sufficient period
of time.
The details in the application of the
pure culture to the seed are as fol-
lows: The seed (sixty pounds or less
for each bottle. of culture) should be
soaked in water for two hours. The
water should be drained off and q
pound of granulated sugar per bushel
Of seed should be added. Allow this
to stand for ten hours or more. A
small quantity Of cold. water should
be added to the culture bottle and
shaken vigorously until the culture is
we'll broken up. The contents of the
bottle should next be mixed thor
oughly with the seed. This step is
especially important. Plant the seed
as soon as it is dry enough to handle.
Do not allow the seeds to become
thoroughly dry or the bacteria will
die.
Usually small plat should be re-
served for uninoculated seed in order
to test the efficiency Of the inocula-
tion. The results of experiments to
date indicate that this method is
practicable and of great benefit under
the conditions stated. 1t is the in.
tention of the Department of Bac.
teriology of the Oregon Experiment
Station to send out these cultures.
A set of instructions will accompany
each shipment and those who take
advantage of the opportunity will be
asked to report the results Of their
work.