No. 7. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 219 



to say that of some leguminous plants, some may and some may not 

 have nodules on. 



PKOF. HAESHBERaER: Yes. 



MR. SEEDS: The ones without nodules on, are they any better 

 to the farmer? 



PROF. HARSHBERGER: No, the leguminous plants— it is only 

 when the soil is deficient in nitrogen that these plants become nitro- 

 gen restorers. 



QUESTION: The leguminous plant without the nodules on is no 

 better than the others? 



PROF. HARSHBERGER: No; one farmer may have a good catch 

 of clover, and another not, and one may have the nodules on and 

 the other not. You may get a catch of clover without the nitrogen. 



QUESTION: Then there is no use of growing clover only that the 

 man that has the nodules on the roots is ahead of the man who 

 has nothing; if I understand you right, you say all soils have the 

 bacterial germs more or less. 



PROF. HARSHBERGER: Yes, as I understand, the soil that has 

 been growing clover will have the red clover germ; there might be 

 a difference in these different germs, for instance germs that will 

 take on red clover will not take on alfalfa; it is all one germ as I 

 understand it, but there are slight differences, so that one may ac- 

 cept that particular sort and grow white clover or crimson clover or 

 alfalfa, even if the soil has only the crimson germ. Soil which con- 

 tains only white clover — the nodules will not be formed on a red 

 clover crop. 



MR. SEEDS: Pennsylvania has been a great clover state and it 

 ought to be inoculated thoroughly with the bacteria of the clover 

 plant, but it is still getting harder to raise clover every year. 



PROF. HARSHBERGER: The germs must have exhausted their 

 vitality, as far as I know, like when a man has been working in one 

 position for many years. You know he needs a change after a while 

 — a summer vacation now and then. These bacteria are exactly 

 like higher organisms in a certain way, I am inclined to think. 



The DEPUTY SECRETARY: Mr. Chairman, I would like to ask 

 the Professor, in case the potash should be exhausted in the soil, 

 would that have any effect 



PROF. HARSHBERGER: I think so, yes, sir. 



MR. DRAKE : Professor, if I have a field that is rich in nitrogen, 

 if I supply the bacteria by the patent process, will they produce 

 nodules? 



PROF. HARSHBERGER: I think if you observe the precau- 

 tions that are recommended, that result will follow, in soil not 

 water-logged, good, mellow soil containing the potash and other 



