CHAPTER XII 

 THE QUEST OF NITROGEN 



With the closing of each decade, some new discovery 

 has been given the world, some new thought has been 

 launched that has borne its fruit e'er Time went far on 

 his journey again. It has been so in science and it is so 

 in agriculture. 



Men are ever seekers after truth. Their quest has been 

 for it throughout all time, and in every direction. As a 

 result of this quest, philosophy is the better, art is the 

 better, government is the better, science is the better, law 

 is the better, and all men are the better. 



The quest of truth has gone on from the very beginning 

 of time ; it has led out in every imaginable direction. But 

 the surprise of many is this : the postponement of the 

 pursuit of the practical until recent periods in human 

 progress. Especially has this been true of the practical 

 arts, and of agriculture. And yet all the while the world 

 has been dependent upon the soil for its bread, for its 

 raiment, for its shelter ; and back of these is the control- 

 ling influence of the nitrogen of the soil. 



The quest of nitrogen is of comparatively recent times ; 

 but once its story learned and its truth established, the 

 solution of its mystery becomes a most valuable contribu- 

 tion to crop production and to soil maintenance, as well 

 as a most powerful force in a new agriculture. 



Farming in a broad way, now, is being built upon the 

 legumes : the tiller of the soil is becoming a legume 

 farmer. This state of affairs has resulted in recent years, 

 only ; in fact, since the publication in 1886 of the 



