14 



a locality where this crop had never been grown, were carried out 

 in 1893. The pots were variously fertilized in two parallel series 

 for each kind of soil. To the soil of every pot in one series for 

 each kind of soil a little dust from the floor where soya beans had 

 been threshed was added. The object aimed at was to determine 

 whether the addition of this dust, which, it was known, must con- 

 tain in abundance the germs of the tubercle bacillus peculiar to 

 soya bean roots, — the bacillus which gives the plant the power 

 to fix atmospheric nitrogen, — would affect the development of 

 root tubercles and the growth and yield of the plants. The re- 

 sults were striking. From a very early stage the plants in the 

 pots to which a pinch of the dust from the threshing floor had 

 been added were of a markedly greener color and more vigorous. 

 The weight of both vine and seed from such pots was larger. 

 Upon examination after harvest the roots were found to have a 

 far greater number of tubercles. The important point here is, 

 that the tubercle development is coincident with greater vigor. 



Out-of-door experiments of a similar nature upon a large scale 

 have been tried in the field this year. Upon one-half of a number 

 of areas similarly fertilized throughout, a small quantity of earth 

 from a field where soya beans had been cultivated for several years 

 was scattered ; the result in every instance was a marked increase 

 in crop. 



Soya beans, as well as other leguminous crops, sometimes fail 

 to assimilate atmospheric nitrogen to any great extent when first 

 cultivated in a neighborhood. This is frequently, no doubt, because 

 the appropriate tubercle bacilli are not present in sufficient num- 

 bers. They will usually increase from year to year, and when 

 they become abundant, success will be more certain. It may some- 

 times pay to import a small quantity of earth from a locality where 

 the crop does well, for the purpose of securing a supply of the 

 needed bacilli. 



A considerable number of miscellaneous crops have been under 

 trial upon a small scale. The more important of these are the 

 following : mummy pea, Canada field pea, blue-stem wheat, naked 

 black barley, Japanese naked barley, Japanese barley, Japanese 

 clover, dwarf Essex rape, spurry, flat pea and alfalfa. A few 

 only demanded special mention. 



3fummy Pea. — This gave a yield at the rate of 11|^ bushels of 

 seed to the acre. I do not consider it superior to the common 

 Canada field pea. 



Canada Field. Pea. — This gave a yield at the rate of 11 bushels 

 of seed per acre. Our experience indicates that it will pay to raise 

 the seed of this variety to sow for fodder or hay rather than to buy 

 at current prices. 



