30 MAINIJ AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. I906. 



IV. This bulletin gives the results of a bacteriological exam- 

 ination of 18 such packages of cotton. 



V. These examinations made it very evident that the pack- 

 ages were worthless for practical purposes. 



VI. Substantially identical results upon six of these packages 

 were obtained in five separate laboratories. 



VII. It was shown that the failure of these cultures was 

 inherent in the method of their preparation rather than in any 

 knavery of their producers. 



VII. While these results will explain the many failures from 

 the use of cotton cultures they should not be undestood as being 

 opposed to the idea of treating the seed of legumes with living 

 bacteria." * 



The principle of soil inoculation from cultures is all right, but 

 the method of preparation and shipment practiced by the depart- 

 ment and the commercial companies cannot be depended upon. 

 Fortunately for Maine farmers there is probably but little to be 

 gained by inoculating soil for our common leguminous crops 

 such as clover, peas and beans. If one desires to grow alfalfa, 

 soy beans, cow peas, or other leguminous plants that are not 

 usually grown in the State, the inoculation by the application of 

 soil from a field that has grown the desired legume with an 

 abundance of root tubercles is the only sure way yet devised. 

 This inoculation, by the transfer of soil carrying the organism, 

 has never given negative results so far as the writers know. 

 While it is to be hoped that the difficulties that made nitragin a 

 failure, and the equally unsatisfactory results from nitro-cultures 

 may be speedily overcome, the commercial cultures now in the 

 market and any that are likely to be offered in 1906 are appar- 

 ently valueless for practical purposes. 



Fertilizer Experiment in Field Culture op Garden Peas. 

 In Northern Maine where potatoes are the chief money crop, 

 a common rotation is to follow the potatoes with clover and 

 mixed grasses, seeding with grain, sometimes wheat, but more 

 commonly oats. In Woodland, near Caribou, in the northern 

 part of Aroostook county, a pea canning industry has been intro- 

 duced by Geo. T. Goodwin and Company. The peas can be 

 used in the rotation in the place of grain. The culture is very 



* Bui. 270, N. Y. state Expt. Sta. 



