GRASS AND HAY 65 



soil from some old, healthy, weed-free clover field or by the use of 

 pure cultures. 



The Soil-Transfer Method of Inoculation. Inoculation by the 

 soil-transfer method is generally more certain in its results than the 

 pure-culture method, but where the soil is brought in from ^some 

 outside locality not known to be free from noxious weeds, insect 

 enemies, and plant diseases, there is danger of introducing such pests. 



The soil-transfer method consists in scattering over the new 

 ground, at the rate of 200 to 300 pounds to the acre, soil from a 

 healthy clover field where the plants show an abundance of the 

 tubercles on their roots. It is suggested that the seed be mixed with 

 a small portion of this soil and the remainder drilled or scattered 

 broadcast and immediately harrowed in. This should be done pref- 

 erably on a cloudy day or toward evening, as the sun's rays are very 

 injurious to the germs; but if the person who scatters the soil walks 

 directly in front of the harrow the sun has practically no opportunity 

 to harm the germs. To facilitate even scattering, the soil may be 

 mixed with two or three times its own weight with ordinary soil 

 obtained close at hand to save carriage charges. 



The Pure-Culture Method of Inoculation. The results with 

 pure cultures are less certain than where the soil-transfer method is 

 employed, but the pure-culture method has the advantages of greater 

 ease of transportation and freedom from danger of introducing 

 harmful pests upon the farm. The method of inoculation by pure 

 cultures may be carried out in either of two ways: (1) A bottle of 

 pure culture of the proper kind of bacteria is opened and the culture 

 mixed with a convenient quantity of water; this diluted culture is 

 now thoroughly mixed with a considerable quantity of soil, prefer- 

 ably from the field where the legume is to be sown ; the treated soil 

 is then distributed in the same manner as when inoculation is made 

 by the use of soil from an old field. (2) A pure culture of the proper 

 kind of bacteria is prepared according to the directions accompanying 

 the bottle, and is then applied to the seed is such a way that all of the 

 seed may be moistened, though not soaked. The seed should be 

 planted as soon as practicable after this treatment that is, as soon 

 as it is sufficiently dry for convenient handling. Drying may be 

 facilitated by adding dry, sifted earth, preferably from the field in 

 which the leguminous crop is to be grown. The nodule bacteria 

 very often die within a week after the seed is inoculated and dried ; 

 it is therefore highly desirable that the inoculation be made the same 

 day the seed is sown. Inoculated seed should never be dried in the 

 sun, as direct sunlight is quickly fatal to the bacteria. 



Treatment the First Season. When seeded with a grain nurse 

 crop no special treatment is given the clover the first season. It 

 develops in the stubble after the grain has been cut and occasionally 

 may afford some pasture the same fall. If the late summer be espe- 

 cially favorable sufficient growth may be made for a cutting of hay, 

 and in some cases a crop of seed has been secured. The stand, how- 

 ever, is apt to be injured by the cutting, and it is usually best to 

 clip back the growth to check the development of the plants. When 



