SOCIETY OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS. 189 



Some practical points may suggest themselves from this rather 

 technical discussion. The following may call to mind still others. 

 A mulch, if of such a kind as to prevent too great an escape of mois- 

 ture, would seem to help in supplying some of the conditions. This 

 calls to mind the phenomenon sometimes noticed, that plants grown 

 on the spot where a huilding has stood, are very luxuriant, though 

 there has been absolutely nothing applied to the soil. 



The most natural thought is that, nothing having grown there 

 for some time, the soil has rested. But note that, in addition to the 

 most favorable conditions possible for nitrification, the rains have 

 been prevented from washing away the highly soluble nitrates, thus 

 storing up an abundant supply. It just occurs to me — and I think 

 I see Prof. Burrill sticking a pin here — that some ambitious young 

 chemist might do well to crawl under some farm granary or corn- 

 crib, procure a sample of soil, and make a study of the amount of 

 nitrates he finds. 



Now, I am reminded still further of an idea that used to ])ossess 

 the mind of my father, that a few stones, especially flat oaes, of 

 some little size, pieces of board, etc., were good things to be placed 

 about the roots of his fruit trees. It may be a hard statement to 

 receive just at this time, but we undoubtedly have often too much 

 moisture in the soil, which carries off by filtration these invaluable 

 nitrates. Is it not possible that some system of artificial top-dress- 

 ing or covering about the roots, at certain seasons, — some method 

 which would most nearly meet the conditions of producing and pre- 

 serving the nitrates of the soil, would prove of decided advantage to 

 the fruit-grower. 



The care and application of manures ought to receive careful 

 study with reference to this theory. We know that green manures 

 mixed with soil and allowed to rot in small heaps greatly increases 

 its value — just the conditions most favorable for nitrification. The 

 ordinary manure heap, with its too great heat and loss of nitrogen, 

 as ammonia, and by constant leaching, is certainly an expensive 

 waste on far too many farms. Again, you may have noticed, as I 

 can well recall, instances where a liberal coating of manure, applied 

 early in the spring and plowed under dee])ly, produced no perceptible 

 effect on the growing crop, at least in comparison with a similar 

 treatment in the fall. It is undoubtedly true that manure can not 

 be utilized directly by growing crops, but must be worked over by 

 various ferments. Such work, moreover, can not be accomplished 

 under such conditions as would follow from placing the material 

 deeply below the surface while the ground is cold. Probably for this 

 reason farmers meet with disappointment from turning under green 

 crops in the spring, whereas good results follow from such treat- 

 ment in the fall. Here may be an explanation of some of the good 

 results from fall plowing. The micro-organisms of the soil are, 

 especially in the spring, only in the warm surface-soil. I recall an 



