CHAPTEE VIII 





THE MICROBES OF THE SOIL 



SOIL is very rich in microbes, and these insignificant 

 plants play a most important part in the processes 

 of putrefaction and nitrification, which are always 

 at work for man's benefit and welfare. 



Among the microbes present (more or less) in soil 

 are the following : 



Bacillus typhosus. 

 Bacillus radicicola. 

 Bacterium septicumagrigenum. 

 Bacillus cedematis maligni. 

 Streptococcus septicus. 

 Bacillus subtilis. 

 Bacillus toruliformis. 

 Bacillus floccus. 

 Bacillus septicus. 

 Bacterium termo. 

 Bacterium allii (?). 



The Nitrous Bacillus. 

 The Nitric Micrococcus. 

 Bacillus tar deer escens. 

 Bacterium urece. 

 Bacillus fiuorescens. 

 Micrococcus cereus. 

 Bacillus of Mouse Septiccemia. 

 Bacillus mycoides. 

 Bacillus anthracis. 

 Bacillus of tetanus. 

 Bacillus of malarice. 



Spirillum cholerce Asiaticce. 



In addition to the above, the spores, etc., of many of 

 V the higher fungi are present in soil. Some of these 

 are detrimental to the growth of vegetation, for they 

 become internal or external parasites, and thereby 

 produce disease. 1 Not only are the higher plants 

 attacked by parasites present in soil, but man and 

 animals suffer from diseases, like tetanus, malaria, 

 etc., which are caused by soil-microbes. 



1 Griffiths' Diseases of Crops. 



276 



