Beginnings of Soil Microbiology 9 



energy transformation by microorganisms, were, however, looked 

 npon as two distinct characteristics of the first stage of manure 

 decomposition. 



Tlic be^innins; of our systematic knowledge of soil microorganisms 



Fig. 5. Justus von Liebig contributed fundamental information to our knowledge 

 of soil processes and plant nutrition. 



had to wait until the birth of general systematic bacteriology. In 

 1836-1839, several distinct contributions appeared which had an 

 indirect bearing upon knowledge of the activities of the microbial 

 population of the soil. These were the first careful studies on the 

 role of microorganisms in the decomposition of organic matter and 

 in the formation of alcohols and acids. The work of Schwann and 

 of Cagniard-Latour on the fermentation of wine and on the various 



