48 REPORT OF THE AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH 



REPORT OF THE IMPERIAL AGRICULTURAL 

 BACTERIOLOGIST FOR THE YEAR 1909-10. 



(C. M. Hutchinson, B.A.) 



The principal work of the Section for six months 

 diirinG^ which I have been in charge has been directed 

 towards a general examination of the bacteria in the soils 

 of Piisa. The scheme of work has resolved itself into : — 



(1) Observation of occurrence and activity of bac- 

 teria at varying depths in the soil — 



{a) with regard to varying species; 

 (&) with regard to their relations to soil 

 chemistry. 



(a) Determination of the species occurring in soils 

 naturally involves a large .amount of culture work extend- 

 ing over a long period of time, and has only been under- 

 taken in consideration of the absence of information on 

 this point so far as Indian soils are concerned. It is 

 hoped that further experience gained in this wav will 

 ennble a distinction to be drawn between those species whose 

 widespread occurrence and activity makes them of impo^-t- 

 ance from an agricultural standpoint, and others whose 

 restricted development renders it unnecessary to study 

 their characters from this point of view. 



In addition to cultures made from samples obtained 

 by boring, observations have been carried on periodically 

 as to the bacterial content of soils in the Botanical Section 

 especially those under experimentiT treatment by "weather- 

 ing " ; it is hoped that some light may be thrown upon the 

 causes underlvirs: the differences resulting from this 

 method of dealing with soils. 



The ordinary cultural methods of differentiation have 

 been somewhat restricted by the impossibility of using 

 gelatine owing to the high temperatures at Pusa in tjie 



