366 



STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



the soil for the next crop. A crop of legumes icithout nodules would 

 get all of its nitrogen from the soil as do the non-leguminous crops and 

 would exhaust the soil of this element of fertility in the same manner. 

 There is no reasonable doubt as to the benefit to legumes of the proper 

 nodule bacteria. Faulty methods of inoculation, however, have in the 

 past given rise to much dissatisfaction and disappointment. Moreover, 

 the condition of the soil may prevent nodular development, and the 

 crop may fail even though proper inoculation methods have been em- 

 ployed. 



Methods of Inoculation.^ 



Bacteria-laden soil, or soil taken from a field where a crop of the 

 desired' legumes has shown a good development of nodules, may be 

 used to inoculate soil which does not contain these bacteria. The 

 results obtained by this method have been almost uniformly satisfac- 

 tory, though it is not entirely Avithout objectionable features. Beside 

 being somewhat cumbersome — from 100 to 500 lbs. of soil per acre 



FIGURE 3. 



are ordinarily used — there is always the possibility of introducing the 

 seed of objectionable weeds or of spreading plant disease. 



Pure cultures of nodule bacteria suitable for the various legumes 

 may be used in inoculating the seed just previous to sowing. This 

 method has been used very extensively during the past three years, 

 usuall}' with marked success. In its favor may be mentioned, ease in 

 shipment, assurance of a tested strain of bacteria, freedom from 

 danger of spreading weeds or plant disease, and convenience in appli- 

 cation. 



