The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1917-04-21
Work of Great Value to the Farmers of Idaho
by the Experiment Station at the University

That the Idaho experiment STATIC
stands squarely behind the movemen
to insure maximum production thi
year from farm lands in this state an
is giving assistance of very practi
cal nature is shown by the activity o
the department of bacteriology which
has undertaken to furnish at actua
cost to any farmer of the state who
asks for them cultures of nitrogen
gathering bacteria for the inoculatior
of field peas, alfalfa, clover and other
legumes. The value of this service
to the state is not easily calculated in
dollars and cents because it is far
reaching in its effects. Its import
ance lies in the following:
Soil Rich Eniugh
The farm lands of Idaho without ex-
ception insofar as we know at this
time are exceptionally rich in the min
eral elements required in plant growth
and, therefore, they neither require nor
respond to the application of those
mineral fertilizers which figure so
largely in the agriculture of the states
east of the Mississippi river.
The state has extensive areas of the
open prairie lands which appear dur
ing their early years of cultivation to
| have no characteristic weakness what
ever, maximum crop production de-
pending entirely upon rainfall and
other climatic conditions.
Where Help Is Needed
Other extensive areas within the
state that have been brought under
cultivation within comparatively recent
years exhibit characteristic weak
ness from the start They lie in the
great Snake river plains of southern
Idaho. Their one weakness is lack
of organic matter and nitrogen. Still
other extensive areas as the cut and
burned-over lands of the panhandle,
while fairly rich in organic matter,
are known to respond very markedly
to the application of barnyard manure
and nitrogen containing fertilizers
Big Problem on Hand
One big problem we have before us
in the development of these farm lands |
is making provision for an adequate |
supply of organic matter and nitrogen
without which profitable farming oper-
atoms are absolutely impossible.
What Bacteria Does
The high price of nitrogen-contain-
ing fertilizers as sodium nitrate or
Chilli salt peter and ammonium sui
phate, a by-product of coke plants,
renders their use by Idaho farmers,
except in cases of highly specialized
entirely out of the question.
There is recourse, however, in another
direction and farmers in Idaho gen ]
orally are turning toward it The
solution of the problem for Idaho far
ners is the growth of such legume
,rops as alfalfa, clover and field peas.
These crops when properly inoculated
With nitrogen-gathering bacteria make
heir own growth insofar as their nj
rogen content is. concerned almost :
ntirely at the expense of the nitrogen
f the soil air and leave stored in the :
cdules of their roots substantial guam
tiles of nitrogen for the benefit of
ucceeding crops.
1t Must Be Done
incubation is practiced for the pur-
ose of adding to the soil certain kinds
{ bacteria which live on the roots
{ the legume plants and by their :
ctivity make available an additional
,urce of plant food. In many sections
Idaho, particularly in the northern :
)unties, artificial incubation is a nec-I r
,sary practice to Insure profitable
,turns from clover and alfalfa fields.
Good Cultures Ready
The department of bacteriology has
rown it's whole energy at this par
cular time into the making and ship
ng of carefully developed cultures :
r the incubation of practically all r,
e legumes that are grown within the
ate. At this time it has orders for
ltures sufficient to inoculate up
ards of 5000 acres. An order for a =
fficient amount to inoculate 1000 M
res. of garden peas came from the
corner of the state. When
E season is over it will no doubt be
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