296 THE FARMER OF TO-MORROW 



fluences them favorably or unfavorably, just 

 as the higher plants are affected. In turn, 

 these agents are great promoters of these 

 changes in the organic debris of soil. All of 

 these processes and the life forms in the soil 

 are affected by fertilizer salts when added to 

 the soil, and changes are produced in the soil, 

 physical, chemical, and biochemical, which in- 

 fluence the soil and affect its potential fertility 

 entirely irrespective of the added plant food. 

 In other words, the soil has been changed in 

 many prominent characteristics even before 

 any crop is planted therein. 



"I must not leave this subject of fertilizer 

 action, in view of the preceding paper, with- 

 out saying that the Bureau of Soils takes an 

 advanced stand not only on the present use 

 of fertilizers, but on their extension in agri- 

 culture, in spite of the reiterated statements 

 to the contrary." 





"We believe that these additional note 

 particularly that I say additional actions ex- 

 plain more fully the function of fertilizers in 

 agriculture. From the former view the ap- 

 plication of fertilizers would be restricted to 

 poor and so-called exhausted soils and poor 

 systems of agriculture; from the latter view- 

 point, fertilizers are indicated as well for fer- 

 tile as for infertile soils, as an adjunct to 



