White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1927-03-04

be adapted to adverse conditions by
selection of special strains. In plants
corn may well be mentioned as a con-
crete example. During the last rs
years the corn belt has been extended
800 miles to the north. Corn is now
matured successfully in regions where
our fathers and grandfathers never
thought it would ever have the
slightest chance to grow. Careful Sc
lection of special strains to overcome
adverse conditions tells the story.
And so it is with the nodule bacteria.
Rapid progress has been made in Sc
lecting effective strains of laboratory
cultures. Successful NEGOTIATIONS are
now the rule. There may yet be oc-
casional exceptions in certain peculiar
soil types in Western Washington
where the cultivation of legumes is
new and untried Some of the results
in trying to establish alfalfa fields
there have been rather discoura ging.
A year ago this situation was
brought to the attention of the Bac-
teriology Division of the experiment
station at the State College. Immedi-
ate steps were taken to find a solu-
ton. Scores of nodule bacteria were
isolated in the laboratory and careful
ly tested for their efficiency in nodule
production under various adverse con-
ditions. About dozen of the most
promising strains giving uniform re-
suits in all the laboratory and green
house tests were finally tried out in
the field in Western Washington. The
field selected was one in which inocu-
lated alfalfa seed had been planted
for three consecutive years without
obtaining a satisfactory stand of al
falfa or single nodule on any of the
plants. On this same field plots were
seeded again with alfalfa. The seed
on each plot was inoculated with
laboratory cultlre of one of these
carefully selected strains of nodule
bacteria. When the young alfalfa
plants were large enough to have
nodules on their roots each plot was
examined carefully for nodule forma-
ton. Only three of the dozen strains
had produced nodules at all. Two out
of these three showed a few nodules
on widely scattered plants, but the
third one was good example of a
thoroughly succe S III incubation
showing well formed, vigorous nodules
on the great majority of the plants.
Thus one strain proved to be adapted
to combination of soil conditions
where all previous attempts to intro
duce the bacteria had failed. This
goes to show that there is solution
for this problem wherever the soil is
at all fit for agricultural purposes. 1t
is to find this solution that the Divi-
sion of Bacteriology of the Washing
ton Experiment Station is earnestly
striving. Farmers in Western Wash
ington should no longer hesitate to in
troduce alfalfa or any other legume
in their crop rotation. There is too
much at stake by failing to set apart
liberal portion of the farm for le-
gume crops. Alfalfa and sweet clover
especially should take a prominent
part in the crop rotation system.
These crops are soil builders; they
conserve nitrogen; they prevent ero-
sion; they secure good air circulation
in the soil; they provide organic mat
ter for the bacterial population which
is the agency responsible for new
plant food production; they supply.
humus to keep the soil in good physi-