1 905.] 



Soil Inoculation. 



669 



SOIL INOCULATION. 



An account of the recent experiments in soil inoculation 

 in Germany was given in a previous number of this Journal 

 (September, 1904, p. 348), and it was stated that the new inocu- 

 lating material prepared at the Agricultural Institute at Munich 

 could be purchased from Professor Hiltner. Dr. Hiltner has now 

 informed the Board that the charge for the supply of pure cultures 

 to persons in the United Kingdom will be two shillings per 

 tube, containing a quantity sufficient to treat the seed required 

 for about three-fifths of an acre in the case of small seeds, such 

 as clover, or in the case of large seeds (peas, lupins, and beans), 

 about half that area. English farmers, therefore, who may wish 

 to obtain a supply of this material should apply direct to 

 Professor Hiltner, 9 F, Osterwaldstrasse, Munich, Bavaria, 

 stating exactly (1) for what crop the material is required, 

 as the bacteria for each crop are cultivated separately, 

 (2) the area which it is proposed to inoculate, and (3) the date 

 when the culture is intended to be used so that it may reach the 

 applicant as fresh as possible. The application should be made 

 at least a fortnight in advance of this date. The principal 

 crops for which cultures are available are peas (Pisuvi 

 sativum), horse-beans ( Vicia faba)> red clover ( Trifolium 

 pratense), crimson clover (7~. incarnatum), lucerne (Medicago 

 sativa), and vetches ( Vicia sativa). 



The instructions which are issued with the cultures state 

 that a satisfactory result from the inoculation may be chiefly 

 anticipated on those soils which are almost or entirely devoid 

 of nodule-bacteria, such as newly broken up soil, or newly 

 cultivated moorland, or on soils which contain the bacteria 

 but not in a form suitable for the particular crop which it is 

 proposed to cultivate. Inoculation, however, may be advan- 

 tageous in other soils, as numerous experiments have shown 

 that it is capable of increasing the number, size, and pro- 

 ductivity of the nodules on the roots of leguminous plants. 



The cultures are sent out in glass tubes, which should be 

 preserved till use in a dark and not too warm room. The 

 contents of the tube should be turned out with a clean piece 



