1106 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



of transforming nitrogen compounds in the soil, the role of micro- 

 organisms in rendering available the mineral constituents of plant 

 food in the soil, and a number of other processes having an intimate 

 bearing upon soil fertility and productiveness. 



" Soil bacteriological research," says Lipman, '' offers splendid 

 opportunities for the collection of facts of utmost moment, not alone 

 to the theory of agricultural science, but also to its practice. It is 

 safe to assert that systenuitic investigation in this field will reward 

 us richly in a broader knowledge of plant-food production and plant- 

 food assimilation. It will enable us to gauge with far greater cer- 

 tainty the various phases of soil fertility and to make better provision 

 for the economic utilization of the plant food derived from soil 

 sources or from the manures and fertilizers applied." 



Realizing the imj^ortance of this subject and the Avidely scattered 

 condition of the literature relating to it, the Office has in course of 

 preparation for early publication a review of investigations in soil 

 bacteriology, prepared by Doctor Lipman of the New Jersey Station. 

 It is hoped that this summary Avill serve to call attention to the 

 progress already made, to indicate the possibilities of the subject, 

 and to stimulate further and broader inquiry in that field in this 

 country. 



