36 MUCK CROPS 



bacterised peat at the rate of two tons to the 

 acre produced no beneficial results. 



"Potted plants treated with bacterised 

 peat show, as compared with controls, not 

 only increased growth but sturdier habit and 

 greater root-development. This fact led to 

 the suggestion that the phenomena cannot be 

 attributed solely to the nitrogen-content of 

 the fertilizer. It is, for example, a well- 

 known fact that the addition of phosphorus- 

 containing fertilizers bring about the devel- 

 opment of a more vigorous root-system than 

 is produced in soil poor in available phos- 

 phates. 



"Following up the suggestion that the vir- 

 tues of bacterised peat are to be sought else- 

 where than in the nitrogen contained in the 

 fertilizer, Professor Bottomley was led to the 

 very interesting conclusion that the growth 

 of plants is conditioned not only by the well- 

 known substance-producing food materials, 

 but also by hitherto unknown growth stimu- 

 lators. These substances, which he claims 

 to have isolated from peat, Professor Bot- 

 tomly has called auximones. He believes 

 that they play a part in plant-nutrition some- 

 what similar to that played by accessory food 

 bodies in the nutrition of animals." 



