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cited some of his owu obsciN atious on the root tubercles, and urjjjed 

 tliat a great deal of experimental study would be needed before their 

 nature and action would be fully understood. To illustrate the praeti- 

 cnl applications to be made of tlic information already jiaincd,he cited 

 sojne instances of notable increase of lc;^uminous croi^s, which had been 

 effected by spreading sand or other soil trom fields where legumes had 

 flourished in small quantities over ground where the same lejiiimes were 

 to be giown. This is simply a i)ractical ajiplicatiou of the methods of 

 inoculating the roots with tubercle microbes, which have brought such 

 remarkable residts in exi)eriments on a small scale. Science has thus 

 far taught that the chief uses of tillage and manuring are to regulate 

 the moisture and tempeiature of the soil and toi»rovide jiroper food for 

 the plants grown upon it. This reveals another means for increasing 

 the growth of our crops, namely, the furnishing of bacteria to enable 

 the plants to i)rovide themselves with nitrogen trom the air. 



By request. Professor Atwater of this Otlic»' gave an account of the 

 agricultural experiment station enterprise in the United IStates. — 

 [\V. O. A.] 



