The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1912-01-11

Farmer Owes Immense Debt to
Little Germs.
Mater-logged Land Becomes Worti~
les for Many Purposes Because Of
Inability Of Organisms to De-
velop Owing to Moisture. !.

Inability Of Organisms to De-
velop Owing to Moisture.
Dy DR. e. q. PETERSON. Laboratory
of Bacteriology, Utah Agricultural Cob
lege.)
The average farmer seldom realizes
to the fullest extent the immense debt
he owes to the bacteria of the SOIL
It is very often surprise to him to
hear that the continued fertility of the
soil is due almost wholly to these
minute organisms which he never
sees. but which are present in astoundl
ing numbers in every handful Of soil
on his farm. A soil exceptionally fer
tile is exceptionally rich in these or
ganisms. dead. worn out soil II
one in which the organisms do not
occur. or If they do occur. refuse to
grow. Successful farm practice >0n-
sists quite largely in supplying condi.
lions in the soil which are favorable
for the growth of beneficial organisms
and detrimental to the growth Of
harmful organisms.
Cultivation of the soil Is q method
to supply air to the organisms which
demand air. The application Of Ger.
tain amount Of moisture to the soil II
benefit in one way because Of the
fact that the bacteria of the soil de-
mand a certain amount of moisture
for their best growth. A soil which be-
comes water-logged becomes worth
less for many purposes because Of the
inability Of the organisms to develop
due to the overabundance Of moist
ure and other secondary influences.
The presence Of too much alkali in .
soil or Of an acid soil Is likewise harm
full to the development of the organ
isms.
In other words, the bacteria Of tho
soil are an index to its fertility. and
every farmer. whether he knows it or
not, is bacteriologist, in that he u
continually trying to cultivate these
unseen friends of his by ordinary farm
methods.
Recent advances in soil bacteriol-
ogy indicate that we are on the eve Of
a new era regarding our knowledge Of
soil processes. Chemists have dem
onstrated that certain western soils
are immensely fertile due to the pres.
ence in them Of exceptionally large
quantities of nitrogen compounds
Whether this nitrogen enrichment IL
largely the result OF the action OF bac.
teriN Is a question now before the
bact eriologists for solution. 1t IL
known that in Utah soils especially
and similar western soils there Is
germ called Azotobacter which thrives
with remarkable vigor. This germ has
the remarkable power of drawing. d.
rectly, plant food from the air and
storing 1t in the soil without the aid
of any other plant. The mysteries Of
Azotobacter are remarkable. It some
times can be found in large numbers
in the soil, and sometimes seems
about to disappear. Exactly what this
variation is due to is not known. but
undoubtedly much Of the mystery sur
rounding soil fertility cah be solved
by finding out how these wonderful
germs act.
1t is part of every farmers in
formation that such crops as alfalfa,
beans, peas, clover and vetch add re-
markably to the fertility Of the soil
The observant agriculturist knows
also that on the roots of these plants
are small nodules or swellings which
1t has been found are the breeding
places Of bacteria which feed tho
plant, upon which they live, d.
rectly from the air. II these bacteria
are absent from the soil the plant in
some cases refuses to develop to it,
full vigor. This action of the BAG
terra places in the farmers hands q.
weapon for always. keeping his soil
at high point Of fertility by the
proper rotation of crops In order to
utilize these powerful germs to his adj
vantage.
Bacteriologists are attempting to
discover the exact number of germs
which are important in soil fertility
maintenance. and further more what
ones are detrimental to, the soil. They
hope to be able. ultimately. to dag
nose the soil exactly as we now dag
nose the human body. by finding what
germs are growing in 1t. They have A.
ready devised methods of enriching
the soil by growing in the laborator-
les bottles full of beneficial organ
isms, and pouring these on the seed
before 1t is sown. Any visitor to the
bacteria laboratory Of the agricultural
college can see these germs growing
in small TASKS. each flask containing
from three millions to four billions
bacteria. ~,
Fortunately most inter-mountain
soils contain these germs in abund-
ance. SO 1t may never be necessary TO-
use them from the laboratory on the
SOIL However. we may be able to de-
velop germs In the laboratory Of an,
exceptionally high power of soil en-
richment Even the most conserve
tive scientist realizes that the future
of scientific agriculture is very closely
associated with the future Of soil BAG
~~fz