EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS. 367 



The earlier history of the inoculatiou of seed by means of pure 

 cultures is largely a record of failures, aud seed inoculation, there- 

 fore, for a time, fell into general disrepute. No way had been dis- 

 covered of keeping a sufficient number of bacteria alive and vigorous 

 until the plant seedlings were ready for them. With the improvement 

 of pure culture methods, seed inoculation now appears to be safe and 

 advisable wherever satisfactory bacteria laden soil may not be easily 

 obtained. 



The Need of Inoculation.^ 



Under favorable conditions, nodule bacteria may live in the soil for 

 years. Therefore, it is seldom of advantage to inoculate for a legumi- 

 nous crop which is being successfully grown in short rotations. How- 

 ever, it must be remembered that clover soil may need inoculating for 

 alfalfa, or for peas, or for beans, and if the particular bacteria for 

 any leguminous crop are not known to be present in sufficient numbers, 

 it is advisable to insure their presence by proper inoculation. By 

 inducing an earlier and more abundant development of nodules, in- 

 oculation may be profitable even in soils which contain the proper 

 bacteria in limited numbers. 



Inoculation will not be of benefit: — 



(a) If the proper bacteria for the desired crop are already present 

 in the soil in sufficient numbers. 



(b) If the condition of the soil is such as to hinder the growth of 

 either the plants or the bacteria. 



Responsibility Assumed by the Experiment Station. — 



Inoculation may or may not be of benefit to any leguminous crop 

 according to conditions. So many other factors are involved that no 

 guarantee of results can be made in any particular case. After four 

 years of extensive field exjierlments Avith seed inoculation throughout 

 the Provinces of Canada, the Ontario Station rejiorts benefit resulting 

 as follows: Alfalfa, 05% of all reports returned; clover, 5{V/r ; peas, 

 54% ; beans, 54% . Seed inoculation in Virginia gave beneficial results 

 in 82% of the cases reported. 



In the soil inoculation experiments carried on in 33 of the counties 

 of New York, satisfactory crops of alfalfa Avere obtained in 70% of 

 the inoculated portions of the fields and in but 20% of the uninoculated 

 portions of these same fields. 



We have no means as yet of knowing just what results may be 

 obtained in this state, but are in a position to cooperate with as many 

 farmers as are Avilling to give the matter the attention required and 

 to report results. 



Prepared by 



W.' S. SAYER. 



Address: P.acteriological Laboratory, 



East Lansing, Mich. 



