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Nitrifying Bacteria. 



By A. J. Bigney. 



Everybody is searching for the wealth of the world. The scientist, 

 however, is the one who usually makes the actual discoveries. He may not 

 reap much of the result himself, but the world is richer and better for his 

 having lived in it. 



The past few years has seen much wealth added to Indiana through 

 the labors of her scientific men. New sources of income will be found and 

 new applications made as time passes on. 



To the most casual observer it is certainly true that southern Indiana, 

 in particular, has too much abandoned land. Waste fields are to be seen 

 on every hand in many communities, and in some localities most of the 

 land has been turned over to the free action of the elements and to the 

 rabbits. As the population increases this land will be needed. The people 

 are not much concerned uow, because there is an abundance of land in 

 the country. If their farms become too poor they will sell out and move 

 into other localities or into other States." The time is coming when there 

 will not be the inducements in other places, so the farmers will be com- 

 pelled to earn a livelihood on the old farm. Even now it would be less 

 expensive and much more satisfactory, especially to their good ladies, to 

 remain on the old farm and transform their worn-out land into a veritable 

 garden. The Germans are doing this very thing now on the hill lands 

 about some of our rivers. This shows that it can be done when our people 

 are willing to devote themselves to the task and not be too anxious to 

 become rich too quickly and with as little labor as possible. When this 

 waste land is put under a high state of cultivation, it will make the coun- 

 try more beautiful and will thus be an incentive to the agricultural classes. 

 Who does not feel encouraged when travelers compliment a people on their 

 beautiful country? 



The Department of Agriculture of our Government is accomplishing 

 wonders in developing new plans for work through their laboratories at 

 Washington and in the experiment stations. The farmers are being 

 stimulated to take an interest in scientific farming and the work is being 



