The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-07-20
SOME FACTS REGARDING
INCUBATION OF THE SOIL

sible to grow the alfalfa with more or
less success without incubation. This
is not, however, a normal way for the
alfalfa to live, regarding the bacteria.
The bacteria living In the various
kinds Of legumes belong to the same
species; they are the same kind, In
other words. But the bacteria that
thrive in the nodules of the alfalfa
plant will not live. apparently. In the
nodules of the clover plant. The bac-
terra of the nodules OF our native
legumes are apparently Of no value for
alfalfa. Evidently the bacteria of the
common red clover nodules can be
utilized by the white or alsyke clover.
Professor Hopkins has shown that the
bacteria that lives in the nodules OF
sweet clover will readily ~inoculate and
form nodules upon the alfalfa plant.
Sweet clover soil, therefore, can be
used to inoculate land intended for
alfalfa.
Does Land Need incubation.
We must distinguish between bot
tomlands and uplands. Further we
must distinguish between the absolute
need Of incubation and the economic
tain instances In the state where
alfalfa has been sown without artificial
incubation and the alfalfa crop has
been a success. This has been suf-
ficient evidence to some that the talk
of the need Of incubation is more or
less nonsense. Those that put u
alfalfa, generally put it upon their
richest and quite often the lowest soil
and often upon land that has been
manured. Upon bottom soil, rich in
organic matter, the alfalfa bacteria are
either there naturally or the conditions
in the soil are SO favorable that the
bacteria accidentally present upon the
seed sown, develop very rapidly and
bring about incubation in a compare
lively short time. 1t is in every degree
likely, in fact practically certain that
the ordinary upland soils of North Da-
kota, n presumably Of South Dakota,
Minnesota and eastern Montana do not
contain bacteria which are able to
inoculate the alfalfa plant. There is
a possibility Of course that some Of
the wild leguminous bacteria are able
to ~inoculate alfalfa after a few years
association with the alfalfa plant. This
is not likely to any appreciable de-
gree.
Economic Value of incubation.
II we can keep on growing or trying
to grow alfalfa upon a piece Of ground,
incubation viii fnally come about on
such ground, as 2 general rule but it
may only after a period OF four or
I'VE years. In such case there would
be no absolute necessity OF artificial
incubation. It is plain to be seen,
however, that there would exist a
strong economic necessity for inocu-
lation. BY inoculating the field at the
outset the alfalfa would have made
good Yields the second season. BY
neglecting i~noculation the farmer loses
the use OF his land more or less and
he is also apt to lose the Il also,
because OF the increased liability to-
injury from drought and winter kill
ing. Inoculating the alfalfa increases
the yield, makes the crop more cef-
tain. lessons the possibility Of winter
killing, increases the value of the
crop and maks the soil richer. II has
been found that the yields from lands
artiiicialiy i~noculated have been over
twice those from fields not artiacia1ly