26 



Historical 



the significance of these studies in terms of soil fertihty processes 

 and plant growth still remains to be determined, the great importance 

 of these findings to human health is beyond question. 



Where is soil microbiology headed now? What are its problems 

 and what is its future? One of the great masters of soil microbiology, 



Fig. 17. Sir John Russell, Director of the Rothamsted Experimental Station, 



stimulated the study of the protozoa in the soil and their role in soil fertility 



and of numerous other microbiological processes in the soil. 



Winogradsky, considers that what is called at the present time "soil 

 microbiology" is nothing but a chapter of general microbiology, the 

 treatment of microorganisms isolated from the soil and hypothetically 

 admitted as taking part in some of the processes which are charac- 

 teristic of the soil. He considers the information available at the 

 present time merely an introduction to soil microbiology, not soil 

 microbiology itself. Insufficient attention is believed to be paid to 

 the study of the biological agents responsible for various soil proc- 

 esses, as they take place in nature, in the original soil and under 

 specific soil conditions. General microbiology is based upon the 



