The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1917-11-24
INCUBATION URGED.
Yield of Leguminous Crops Largely
Increased by Treating Seed or Soil.


Increased by Treating Seed or Soil.
A number of years ago it was
thought the world would soon be on
the verge of starvation, because of the
limited quantity of nitrogen in the
soil. Since then, however, it has be-
come known that certain plants called
| legumes, such as coWpeas, vetch, al
falfa, velvet beans, the clovers, and a
number of others, have attached to
their roots little nodules, or tubercles,
or factories, as they may be called, in
which are found bacteFia-Iike organ
isms which represent the workmen in
a factory.
1t has been found that these
leguminous plants, with the aid of
these nodule bacteria, are able to
utilize atmospheric nitrogen. Not
only do these legunes secure a suf-
fcient quantity Of nitrogen from the
air to enable them to make luxuriant
growth, but they also store up in the
soil a sufficient quantity of nitrogen
for the succeeding crops. Hence we
see that legulninous plants are able
to take, free atmospheric nitrogen,
which constitutes 4four-fifths of the
atmosphere of the earth, and convert
this into a usable and available form.
These organisms causing the
nodules in legumes occur in different
physiological forms, for it is impossi-
bic, except in few cases, to inoculate
legume of one genus directly with
EI,c J,-1o Io az frnr.1
For instance, should red clover or al
falfa be planted on piece of land on
which they had not previously been
grown, it would be absolutely essen
tial that the land be first inoculated,
even though cowpeas, yetch or some
other leguminous plants had previous
ly been grown on this land. For
strange to say, coHfpea germs will not
grow on clover roots, neither will
velvet bean germs grow on alfalfa,
vetch germs organize fertilizer fac
tories on the roots of beans, and SO on.
Therefore if one decides to grow
alfalfa on soil where there are no
alfalfa tubercles, or where alfalfa has
not been grown previously, he must
place alfalfa gernls there. Inocula-
tion is the name given to the placing
of the proper germs where they can
form tubercles.
The next question is, how to in
oculate legumes? This can be done
in several ways, viz:
1. By sowing soil taken from an
old field where the same legume has
previously produced nodules, as is
nearly always the case when a
leguminous crop is successful.
2. By dipping the seed in water
mixed with soil.
8. By mixing the seed with a
special preparation made originally
frena groaaase eles Of q plant
like that to be grown.
A. BY inoculating the seed before
sowing with pure culture. These
cultures may be obtained from the
u. S. Department of Agriculture, as
well as from various dealers.
In using the first named method,
care must be taken that the soil comes
from field free from any diseases
Of the crops to be subsequently grown
as it is easy to convey various fungus
diseases, insects, and other pests, il
oil is taken from a field where such
troubles are present.
Methods two and three are self
explanatory. Should it not be con,
genient to practice one of the firs'
three methods, then by all means
practice the fourth, and inoculate
5;1r seed or land with the CONNER
cial culture, for experience after ex
perience has taught US the value o.
incubation.
@An experiment conducted by the
Alabama State Experiment Station
| with crimson clover shows how essen
tial inoculation is on soils which have
not previously grown this clover
In this experiment yield of 405'
pounds Of crimson clover hay was Sc
| cured where the plants were inocu
lated. as compared with 761 pound
/ vhere no inoculation was practlced
| In another test the inoculated plot O.
crimson clover yielded at the rate O
61O0 pounds of cured hay per acre
/ while the uninoculated plot was TO
| tai failure.
The writer is in a position to men
tion other experiments similar U
these conducted with alfalfa, ret
clover, vetch and soy beans, but du
to a lack of space will not do so a
this time.
When inoculating our seed, let u
remember that the sun is deadly t.
the bacteria, therefore care should b.
taken not to allow the sun to shin
mon either the pure cultures or tn
soil, or even on the seed after It !
broadcasted. For this reason 1t ]
safest to SOW on a cloudy day or afte
sundown.
Yours for more incubation,
J. OSWALD MONTEGUT,
demonstrating Agent for Ascension