The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1911-05-26
FARM zx1 ORCHARD
tatas qod ln.fruaon Agrcof"rI CoeS@s gno p %a
| @ ~ I ms5ooan soeqHy soo6l IN Paehe Coaa C1aa'>a'

fffts Vas sf,f/rg Scen 10 ~ sff0DeDHS
teeaHs4 II the faet ALREADY stated.
l. g., the cliueldsnes Df tubsrcIss aal
health u he cfoD. the riss of bar
tfyriolGgY ~ Il stiencs nsar The MID
die VI he last century gags impulse
~ he Investigation VI soil procssae5
from The standpoint NJ bacteria, -
Hae, AZ result III this iHTsa1 zatlofb
found that the u0dHiss we're The ~
suit Ut bacterial action. In sDii Hblcb
Is rendered sterile ~ szcsssl1s heat
ing 0r b7 the APPLICATION Of ahtiseDtieS,
but which contains all The fDOd ma
teuals fof plant CROWN except MIRO
gen, II Was found that II ths s0il
we're not allowed ~ bseDue con
taminated the leRumeB failed ~ grow
beyond n certain point. II the same
soil were later contaminated Or mizs1
with earth from a field WbiCb haa
grown certain leRnms5, IT. WaS fopb0
lhni growth was lnznnant. This sug.
geated that ths DroceBs vas caused
by I'VE organisms ~ some sort.
n oDr II the n0duleS from the root
~ q lnRntnr IL cut ODen and the CON
tents examined by the aid u po".
erfnl nicrOHcope 1t will b. dlScoveTed
10 contain millions " bacteria. It II
now known that these bacteria ez-
tract from the air the nitrogen Thicn
they build Or help ~ build up INTO
plant Tissue. Exactly how they do It
is 10 quite an extent unknown.
Only legumes have the power 10
utilize atmospheric nitrogen and these
only by the cooperation Of bacteria,
Each legume Ia thought To have a
special kind Of bactenum, although
they are all very closely related, IN
doubtcdIy The chemical reaction Of
the soil very materially affects the
action of the organisms. They VIII
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
urneg before or which has not grown
legumeg for three or more years may
prOfitably be inoculated with legums
bacteria as preparation for growing
the crop This inoculation 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 a pure culture"
Of the bacterium. This pure cul-
ture" Is simply a 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 a very warm temperature.
Consequently these cultures should
not be exposed to light or high TEN,
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 culturel should be
soaked in water for two hours. Tha
water should be drained off and a
pound Of granulated sugar per bushe
OF SeeQ SlOulQ De duueu. AilO" IuIs
to stand for ten hours or more. A
small quantity Of cold water should
be added to the culture bottle ant
shaken vigorously until the culture is
well broken up. The contents of the
bottle should next be mixed thor
oughly with the seed. This step i:
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 a small plat should be re-
served for uninoculated seed in order
to test the efficiency of the inocula
tion. The results of experiments tC
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.