HUMUS — lIL-\U»(;i-.\. 2^i) 



1. Tlie great similarity between aiixiniones from plant food 



(humogen) and vitamines from animal food (plant 

 juices, seeds, etc.) ; 



2. The effect of climatic and soil conditions on the preva- 



lence of lamziekte ; 



3. The prodnction of auximones by soil bacteria, 



afi'ord additional strono' snpjiort to the deticienc\' theor\- of 

 lamziekte. 



.\t a meeting at V'rybnrg, in Augnst, 1913, a farmer asked 

 whether a plant obtained its vitamines from the soil, to which 

 the writer rei)lied that he thought not. In view, however, of 

 the disc()\ery of auximones. it is ([uite likely that the soil origm 

 of vitamines is the correct one. If so, then many interesting 

 facts in connection witli lamziekte would seem to be capable of 

 full explanation. 



As regards ])lant life, if soluljle humus and humogen possess 

 the properties claimed for them, there is in humogen remarkable 

 scientific corroboration of the best farming practice — that is, the 

 best according to practical experience. More than ever is it 

 established that the farmer's first endeavours should be in at- 

 tending to the biological conditions of his land. He cannot do 

 this if he neglect to cater for the needs of the aitrogen-fixing 

 organisms, which are also auximone producers. What are the 

 needs of these bacteria? These: moisture, air. carbonaceous 

 organic matter, mineral salts and calcium carbonate. Without 

 the latter soluble humus will not be formed, but the acid ma- 

 terial, the " torf '■ of Aluller. the destroyer of forests and the 

 inhibitor of beneficial bacterial life in tlie soil. Moisture and 

 air wdll avail little be there no organic matter to feed the mi- 

 crobes; neither will the organic matter make for the welfare of 

 the plant if there be too little mineral food and calcium car- 

 bonate ; while a sufficiency of the latter is of no account in the 

 absence of organic matter f<n- humification. Whi) has not heard 

 •of the old adage : 



Lime and lime without manure 



Will make both land and farmer luior. 



What a flood of light humogen throws over it all! 



References. 



{1) IJe Saus>ure : " Recherches chimique sur la Vegetation." 



(2) Mulder: "The Chemistry of \'egetable and .Vtiimal 



Physiology." 



(3) A. D. Hall:' "The Soil."' 

 <4) H. \\. Wiley: " rrinci])les and Practice of Agricultural 



Analysis." ^ — - ^..^^ 



<5) E. W. Hilgard: "Soils." y\^^^^^l ^ 



<6) H. Ingle: " Elementarv Agricultural <-bemistrv." /^^^,.,.'-g3-"j>. /^ 

 <7) E. I. Russell: "Soil Conditions and Plant Growtlygl^* /o^ V\'^v 



I /^ "^^"^ M O^ 

 (^(LIPnARYJ 38 

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