214 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. poc. 



high when the winter closed in. This piece <Md not freeze out, but started early 

 in the spring and has grown riotously ever since. We have been cutting it for 

 two weeks and feeding it green to thirty-five dairy cows, and have not yet 

 cut half of it. The new growth started at once and will be ready to cut again 

 by the time we need it. 



"The purpose of this report is to call your attention to what seemed to 

 me to be a fact, viz: That the bacteria in the cultures are more active and more 

 alive than in the inoculating soil. This may be due to loss in drying and trans- 

 porting the soil, which was brought about 500 miles by rail." 



The testimony lure presented in regard to the use of soil in com- 

 parison with cultures receives some support from an account re- 

 cently received from Illinois: 



"Last year you sent me for my farm in Cook county, 111., some inoculating 

 material for alfalfa. I also received some inoculated soil from the University 

 of Illinois. T planted about four acres ("We snwfii broadcast. 1 pint Vn 1 

 One acre was inoculated with soil, thereupon plowed, etc., etc. Plot No. 2. 

 Two acres were inoculated with soil and thereupon disced and harrowed, etc., 

 etc. Plot No. 3. One acre was treated with your material and thereupon har- 

 rowed lightly, etc. Plot No. 3 shows wonderfully fine this spring. Plot No. 1 

 shows next best (very fine), and Plot No. 2 shows also very good, although not 

 as fine as the other two." 



In garden use the inoculation of peas and beans, by insuring an 

 adequate nitrogen supply, seems in some cases to hasten maturity, 

 a matter of importance to many growers. From Janesville, Wis- 

 consin: 



"Plants were stronger, blossomed two weeks earlier, stood dry weather bet- 

 ter, and matured more peas than plants not so treated. In addition, I inocu- 

 lated seed for four other parties, requesting them to report to me. One man 

 reports 50 per cent, better yield. His soil was poor, and the bacteria showed more 

 effectively by contrast. A market gardener reports a larger yield than from 

 similar seed not treated, but to him the best feature was earlier maturity by 

 two weeks. All report favorably, those planting on poor soil reporting the 

 largest increase." 



The use of seed already inoculated will no doubt save much time 

 and trouble when persons are sowing small quantities of seed. All 

 leguminous forage seed, sent out by the Department of Agriculture 

 is previously inoculated, and the effect is evident, in many cases. 

 In a recent bulletin from the Maine Station mention is made of 

 sowing some treated alfalfa seed: 



"The seed was specially procured from the United States Department of Agri- 

 culture, and had been inoculated with alfalfa bacteria. Root tubercles have 

 developed abundantly on all the plots." 



A representative of the Department who visited these plots fur- 

 ther demonstrated the fact that alfalfa sown in the vicinity without 

 inoculation was barren of nodules and failing. It will probably 

 not be long before "inoculated seed" will be a regular item of trade 

 and, with proper precautions, there is no reason why seed so treated 



