The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1915-04-01
incubation Of Legumes.

1AAl sAOWAh6 ft@~AAt~ -
elements to be present in the soil In
such quantities that they the planis)
can easily reach with their root sys-
TENS sufficient quantity of those
necessary elements to produce ma
turity in the shortest possible time.
Of these elements nitrogen, phos-
phorus and potash are the most nee
essary and if any one of them is
lacking plant growth will be much
retarded and in some cases practi-
cally stopped.
These elements we're all present
in abundance in the soils Of Lewis
county when first cultivated and up
TO the present time have shown but
little deterioration. However, the
time is coming when all three will
be exhausted unless some effort is
made to replace them.
Among the first to show signs of
exhaustion is the one that can be re-
placed easily and cheaply. This is
the element nitrogen which is found
in chemical combination in the soil
and also in free state as a large
part of the air we breathe.
Now, certain plants have the fac
ulty under certain conditions of TAX
ing the free nitrogen from the air
and using it in building up their It's
sues. These plants are known as
legumes and include all the clovers,
alfalfa, peas. beans, locust trees and
many others. However, these plants
in themselves have no power of alb
sorbing free nitrogen from the air
but must be inoculated with certain
forms of bacteria in order TO be able
to use this free nitrogen.
These nitrogen-fxing bacteria seem
to be naturally present in some soils.
They are also apt to be found in all
soils which have received several ap-
plications of stable manure. How
ever, in localities, such as the Nez-
perez prairie, where clovers and al
falfa have been grown to any great
extent we find the soil is not infected
with these nitrogen-6xing bacteria.
In such cases in order to secure a
good crop of alfalfa or clover the
first year after seeding, it becomes
necessary to inoculate the plants,
through the seeds sown, with these
nitrogen-6xing bacteria, artifcially.
incubation of agriculture al legumes
like clover, alfalfa, peas and beans,
is very easily accomplished at the
present time by the use of laboratory
cultures applied to the seed just be-
fore sowing. These cultures may
De obtained from the Agricultu al
College at Moscow for Sc per acre.
The Psychological department of /
he agricultural college last year put {
,ut cultures for red clover, alfalfa J
ind field peas. This year they are
putting out cultures for red, white
ind alsike clovers, field, garden and &,
weet peas, alfalfa, soybeans, spring =
etch and white navy beans. =
Anyone expecting to sow any of
he above legumes this spring should
end to the agricultural college de- y
artment of Bacteriology, Moscow, o.
daho, for the culture to inoculate
ne seed to be sown, and if possible tv
end at least ten days in advance of 81
ne time the culture will be needed if fiji
ossible to do SO. Tell what kind of E
sed the culture is wanted for and
1close money atthe rate of Sc per :,
ere. Full directions for applying NJ
he culture is sent with each bottle.
The agricultural college last year
aved the people of Lewis county u
lily $500 by placing these cultures 81
4 the market at Sc per acre. The u
sual price charged by dealers be- 'e-
Ig two dollars per acre. SO
T. F. Mcconnell, stl
Lewis County Agriculturist. pr
S5000.O0 private money d loan -