672 



Soil Inoculation. 



[FEB., 



issued with the inoculating material, may be of interest : — 

 " The enclosed package contains a dried culture of bacteria. 

 This, when treated according to the accompanying directions, 

 is capable of indefinite multiplication, and, if associated with 

 the proper plants, of rendering available to these plants the 

 free nitrogen of the air. This is accomplished through the 

 formation of root nodules. The bacteria are beneficial only 

 in connection with legumes (' pod-forming ' plants), and are 

 not applicable to other farm or garden crops. Each culture 

 is adapted to a particular legume crop, the name of which is 

 stamped upon the label. Even with legumes, these bacteria are 

 of no decided benefit except when the proper nodule-forming 

 organisms are lacking in the soil, but a crop of legumes with 

 nodule-forming bacteria improves the soil for succeeding crops." 



It is interesting to compare the directions for using this 

 inoculating material with the instructions issued with the 

 German cultures. They run as follows : — " Put one gallon of 

 clean water (preferably rain water) in a clean tub or bucket, 

 and add No. 1 of the enclosed package of salts. Stir occasionally 

 until all is dissolved. Carefully open package No. 2 and drop 

 the enclosed cotton into the solution. Cover the tub with 

 a paper to protect from dust, and set aside in a warm place 

 for twenty-four hours. Do not heat the solution, or you will 

 kill the bacteria — it should never be warmer than blood heat. 

 After twenty-four hours add the contents of package No. 3. 

 Within twenty hours more the solution will have a cloudy 

 appearance and is ready for use. To inoculate seed, take just 

 enough of the solution to thoroughly moisten the seed. Stir 

 thoroughly, so that all the seeds are touched by the solution. 

 Spread out the seeds in a shady place until they are perfectly dry, 

 and plant at the usual time, just as you would untreated seed. 

 The dry cultures as sent from the laboratory will keep for 

 several months. Do not prepare the liquid culture more than 

 two or three days previous to the time when the seeds are 

 to be treated, as the solution once made up must usually be 

 used at the end of forty-eight hours." If preferred, the soil 

 may be inoculated in a similar way. 



The following directions issued by the United States Depart- 

 ment for preparing large amounts of inoculating material indicate 



