May 1908.] 



408 



Scientific A griculture. 



When Inoculation is Useless. 

 Inoculation is of no value— 



(1) If the legumes usually grown are 

 producing average yields and the roots 

 show nodule in abundance. 



(2) Ifthesoilis in such condition as 

 to prevent the normal growth of the 

 bacteria or of the leguminous plants. 



(3) If the directions for handling the 

 cultures are not studied carefully and 

 followed intelligently. 



(4) If the soil is acid and in need of 

 lime- Liming to correct acidity is as 

 important for the proper activity of the 

 bacteria as for the growth of the plants. 



(5) If the soil needs fertilizers, such as 

 potash, phosphoric acid, or lime. The 

 activity of the nodule bacteria in secur- 

 ing nitrogen from the air and rendering 

 it available to the legumes will not take 

 the place of such fertilizing elements as 

 potash and phosphorus. 



It must be remembered that inocul- 

 ation will not overcome results due to bad 

 seed, improper preparation and cultiva- 

 tion of the gi'ound, and decidedly ad- 

 verse conditions of weather or climate. 

 Before attempting to inoculate a new 

 crop, the farmer should first inform 

 himself thoroughly concerning the pro- 

 per handling of the crop itself ; other- 

 wise failure is almost certain. As an 

 illustration, sowing alfalfa on hastily 

 prepared land, on land foul with weeds, 

 and on acid soils or soils underlaid with 

 hardpan, is contrary to accepted prac- 

 tice. 



Experiment Stations and from the United 

 States Department of Agriculture, 



Danger in Inoculation by Soil 

 Transfer. 

 Very satisfactory inoculations have 

 been obtained by transfering soil from 

 old fields where legumes have been 

 grown, but there are dangers incident to 

 such soil transfer which should be noted. 



The source of supply should be very 

 definitely known, aud in no case should 

 soil be used from fields which have 

 previously borne any crops affected 

 with a fungus disease, a bacterial dis- 

 ease, or with nematodes. Numerous 

 animal and plant parasites live in the 

 soil for years, and are established in so 

 many localities that it is manifestly 

 unwise to ship soil indiscriminately from 

 one portion of the country to another. 



Of scarcely less importance is the 

 danger of disseminating noxious weeds 

 and insect pests through this plan of 

 inoculating by means of natural soils. 

 Even though weeds may not have been 

 serious in the first fields, the great 

 number of dormant seeds requiring but 

 a slight change in surroundings to pro- 

 duce germination is always a menace. 



If soil 9 is to be used, however, whether 

 obtained from near-by fields or shipped 

 long distances, the evidence should be 

 clear that the soil is free from the ob- 

 jections mentioned above.— U.S. Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture, Farmers' Bulletin 

 315, January 11, 1908. 



Free publications covering the essen- 

 tial points in growing all common 

 legumes may be obtained from the State 



