RECLAIMING LOST NITRCXiKN. 135 



power. Some bacteriologists insist that the power of fixing 

 free nitrogen is quite a common one of microorganisms, but 

 only very feebly developed in most cases. As yet we know 

 very little in regard to the nitrogen-fixing bacteria, nor do we 

 know very much in regard to their significance in ordinary 

 soil. That they constitute one of the important agencies for 

 keeping up the supply of nitrates in the soil is quite certain 

 from the fact that sterilized soil does not increase its nitrogen. 

 But beyond some general statements of this sort which can be 

 unhesitatingly made, we have very little knowledge at present 

 in regard to the action of these microorganisms under ordi- 

 nary conditions. 



Bacteriologists have been so convinced of the great impor- 

 tance of this function of fixing nitrogen that they have thought 

 that the inoculation of the soil with the proper organisms would 



FIG. 18. 



B. ellenbachiensis, from Alinit. 



be a process of great advantage to agriculture. Acting in ac- 

 cordance with this idea one of the European bacteriological 

 laboratories has, within the last few years, offered to agricul- 

 turists a commercial product called Alinit, which, it is claimed, 

 has the power of fixing free nitrogen and of producing nitrog- 

 enous compounds in soil proper for plant food, and will, for 

 these reasons, decidedly increase the yield of a given soil. This 

 Alinit has been subjected to many experiments testing its com- 

 position, its effect upon the ordinary field crops and its function 



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