102 THE farmers' handbook. 



Inoculation of the Soil for Leguminous Crops. 



Attempts have been made in the preparation of pure cultures of the 

 organisms occurring in the roets of leguminous plants for the purpose of 

 inoculating the soil with these organisms. 



Several preparations have been made under different names, and by 

 different investigators, the idea being that the introduction of the organisms 

 into the soil would favour the growth of the particular crop on the roots of 

 which they had been growing, just as soil from a clover-field is known to 

 favour the growth of clover in other land if used as a top-dressing. So far 

 the results obtained have not been entirely satisfactory ; and although 

 numerous carefully-conducted experiments have been carried out with 

 these preparations, their use has not spread to any extent as a practical 

 application. 



MANURES CONTAINING POTASH. 



With the exception of wood-ashes, we have been dependent in the past 

 upon the German potash depo its for our supplies of this invaluable manure, 

 but during the war it was unobtainable. With the opening up of the 

 Alsatian deposits the supply of this fertiliser is now almost normal again, 

 though the price is considerably higher than in pre-war times. 



Xainit is a mixture of the sulphates of potash and lime, together with 

 chlorides of magnesium and sodium. It is of value principally on account 

 of its potash, of which there is about 12 per cent. For leguminous crops, 

 root-crops, fruit, vines, &c, it is a valuable manure. It is usually mixed 

 with other manures, especially phosphatic manures, about 2 cwt. mixed 

 with 3 cwt. superphosphate, and 1 or 1J cwt. sulphate of ammonia per 

 acre being about the best proportion for potatoes. This substance is, 

 however, not obtainable at the present time. 



Sulphate of potash is also obtained from the same source as the above, 

 and is a very concentrated form of potash, of which it contains over 50 per 

 cent. As it contains no chlorine, it is preferable to kainit for such crops as 

 tobacco. It is more economical than kainit on account of its concentrated 

 nature, 1 cwt. of it containing as much potash as 4 cwt. of kainit. This has 

 also been replaced since the war by the chloride or muriate. 



Potassium chloride or muriate is the potash salt obtained from the 

 Alsatian mines which has replaced the sulphate on the local market, and is at 

 present the only potash-salt obtainable. It contains the same proportion of 

 potash, and can be used to replace the sulphate in equal quantities. 



Wood-ashes. 



The value of wood-ashes as a fertilising material is not as widely known 

 as it deserves to be. In newly-cleared country this valuable substance is 

 produced in large quantities, and it will be found to more than repay the 

 trouble of returning to the land. It is a matter of common observation that 

 after a bush fire the vegetation is particularly strong and luxuriant, and the 

 effect is due largely to the lime, potash, and phosphoric acid thus returned to 

 the soil. The household wood-fires also furnish a small but continual supply 

 of ashes which should be all kept and made use of. They may be utilised, 

 either by themselves or mixed with other manures, or added to the compost 

 heap — a valuable adjunct to the economy of the farm. (See page 72). 



