86 FOOD FOR PLANTS 



Nitrogen returns to the atmosphere as generally 

 and continuously as water gravitates to the ocean 

 and remains there accessible to those natural agen- 

 cies, capable of transforming it from its completely 

 inert form into intensely active forms immediately 

 useful to man. On arable lands under average con- 

 ditions more Nitrogen goes back to the air than is 

 received from the atmosphere and especially when 

 the lands are much exposed to severe wind and 

 weathering. 



A portion of our earth, namely Chile, has by acci- 

 dent or design been set aside as a storehouse for 

 Nitrogen in its most available plant food form. This 

 is capable of providing first aid and continued nour- 

 ishment against nitrogen soil losses. In recent years, 

 as our soils have become exhausted, has this use mul- 

 tiplied many fold here in our own country. 



Looking beyond the sphere of cold dry actualities 

 and expressing imaginative possibilities, an English 

 writer recently suggested the breeding of a new 

 strain of bacteria which would provide in the soil 

 the means of securing all the Nitrogen needed for 

 crops — drawing it thus from the atmosphere and 

 thus greatly increasing crop production. For great 

 populations this would be Utopia indeed. It should 

 be pointed out, however, that bacteria capable of 

 taking Nitrogen from the atmosphere can only thrive 

 on soil well provided with lime, with abundance of 

 moisture and with animal or vegetable matter in well 

 rotted condition, also in abundance. Thus the Gar- 

 den of Eden is not yet in sight and man's destiny is 

 still to live by the "Sweat of his brow." 



Thorough farm management is more important 



