366 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



nutrient medium as that used by Stoklasa, except that varying amounts 

 of dextrose hafve been added in some cases and dextrose with beef broth 

 in others. In some cases raisin-must has been substituted. The 

 technique of their experiment is for the most part similar to Stoklasa 

 except that instead of using pure cultures for the inoculation, very 

 small quantities of liquid mauure, soil or potato skin have been em- 

 ployed in the respective series. Bacteriological and chemical studies 

 with bone meal, tri-calcium phosphate and Thomas slag showed that the 

 bacteria with which the culture flasks were inoculated, produced acids 

 from the dextrose capable of rendering the above compounds soluble, 

 but that when calcium carbonate was introduced along with the phos- 

 phate, there was no longer any solvent action, the acid having been 

 neutralized by the calcium carbonate as fast as formed. From this 

 the}' conclude that the conversion of the phosphate into a soluble form 

 is a much simpler process than Stoklasa believes it to be, stating that 

 it is due simply to the solvent action of the organic acids and carbonic 

 acid gas produced in the soil by the bacteria, rather than to the action 

 of enzymes. The following table, No. 3, taken from their work will 

 serve to give some idea of the nature and general plan of their experi- 

 ment. 



(1) Der Einfluss der Bodenbakterien auf das Loslichwerden der Phosphorsaure aus verchiedenen Phos- 

 phates. Fuhhng's LandwirtschafUche Zeitung, No. 7 April 1, 1906. 



