ISS I'HE TIJOPICAL AORlCULTrRLST. [Avav^r ], \m 
fell have to make close perBoual acquaintance with 
these micro-organisms will be the day of our disaolu- 
tion ; for the very micro-organisms whicli convert the 
organic nitrogen in the soil are those which will 
reduce our moi t vl remains. If it were not /or them, 
the Send plant (to use. a popuiiir uxp' 3fa.-ior) would 
not rot and the dead body would not cli fompo^a. 
Om- xy.i.nh would be fall of coriisee — vi.'get:ible a.-; 
Well as animal — and for tiiat veiy iea^;ou lifv 
would become impossible. Is " Ex Piaulut " still 
prepared to a^gue that these mici-u orgnnibms aiu 
leas lit work under our climatic conditions than under 
those of Europe ? 
But there is yet another class of luicro-organismB 
whose function as explained has been found to be 
the flT.atioa of the atuiospheiic nitrogen. According 
to '"Ex-l'lanter" one would imagine that these micro- 
organisms sit on the surface of the earth and with 
open mouths swallow whatever nitrogen they can 
get hold of. Let me however tell hi)n that the 
process is not quite as simple as all that. Whilst the 
first-mentioned class of micro-organisms — those 
converting the organi'^ iorm of nitr.igon— can only 
perform thoir functions when in contact with the 
oxygen (ot the air,) the li st mentioned micro organi-nns 
— those lilting lln^ atmospheric nitrogen — can on the 
contrary only pcrfoi lu t lu^ir function when cut off from 
contact with tlni air. They have, as it is, to be 
surrounded by tho ordinary bacteria and only after 
the latter have deprived the air of its oxygen can the 
former fix tho nitrogen. 
I have explained that in a soil devoid of 
vegetation the nitrates are unavoidably carried 
off with the water that filters through it, but 
even iu a soil covered with vegetation there 
is a constant though very much minimized loss 
of nitrates going on. These nitrates, in the 
course of their voyage, are carried into the sea 
and only very little is returned as organic nitrogen 
in the shape of fish, sea-weeds, &c. By far the 
largest portion of these nitrates is turned 
into ammonia (sea water contains about 'OOO-l 
ammonia ; and from there finds its way back into 
the atmoapliere. The disproportion between the losses 
and gains of nitrogen (as shown also by the 
Rothamsted experiments) would thus be so great that 
our soils would, with every year, diminish in fertility 
and would have become sterile long ago. — Yet 
we see no change iu nature as time goes on ; our 
plants assume their ordinary growth year after year ; 
and we have no fear that this state of things will 
cease. "What then makes good this delijiency ? We 
know today, as a scientifically established fact that 
it is due to this special kind of micro-organisms 
fixing the atmospheric nitrogen. It is owing to their 
work that the continuance and perpetuity of vegetable 
life is assured. Matter does not create itself, nor 
does it lose itself, it only changes its form. Present 
today as an org.uuc coiubination, tomorrow it falls a 
prey to niicro-o'-gani^'ni:-, resulting in a uilrate to 
assist th.3 ;'juildiiif' nn of a new form. But this nitrate 
m.i,y ihv'jugli lil-ln-kgot dissolved iu water, thencarried 
off into the sea to f.irra ammouii whence to 
find "ts way back into the atmosphcro where afti-.r 
awhile it will be fl.'ced by micro-organisms only to start 
its career ufipsh. 
Travelling educates people and when Ex-Planter will 
himself have accomplished this great voyage be will 
no doubt learn to feel the power and usefulness of these 
micro-organisms. And if perchance he should one day 
find himsslf back in the scene of his former labours 
— not as a Planter this time however but as a modest 
nitrate; let him be careful not to tumble into a drain and 
again desert the field as his nom-de-plume admits he 
has done during his present career. — Yours faithfully, 
A. BAUR, 
The Ceylon Manure Works. 
ex-plantp:u'S reply to mr. baur. 
14th June, 1898. 
Dear Sir, — M. Baur's reply will convince no one 
that he has a praetical knowledge of manuring. 
It may be conveniently divided into two parte. 
The beginning and end are devoted to purely persooftl 
remarks, which, if uot impertinent, are certainly not 
pertinent to the matter under diucusbiou ; and the 
middle is taken up wiih a debcription of ordinary 
phenomena familiainbe ( to the average man thn ugh 
ibc mi-dium of cl.mentary text look-i. To thi> ie 
ttiticfed a n hash ot ccrtriin portions of v, v.kti >••■. 
mci:iuriug. which preeumally fojm the 8ti.j.it. of M. 
J!,iur s extensive b'j.e .tifi; Jibraiy. 
I reallv cannot prciend to follow M. Baur in h'a 
gruesome incrrsiou int<j the re.vlms of dissduiion 
and pu!,ref,\cnon. 
M. Baur has iidopted a method much in favor with 
a certain class of coutroversialibts, and has by im- 
plication attributed opinions to mt- which there is uo 
evidi-nce to show that I hold. He had fathered 
dummies upon me to give bimeelf the pleasure of 
bowling them over ! 
It was nowhere stated in my letter that there 
were fewer micro-organisms here than in Europi. 
What I questioned was whether on the hiU-sidi-s 
that arc a feature of the majority of fk-ylon r-htate.*', 
the nitratfrt formed would not ho frctjueiUly waslied* 
away by ex^'Cssivc rain. 
It is not iinreaaonabk" to assume as I did that 
experiments conducted on level land iu a temperate 
climate are of uo great value in dealing with Kteep 
land subjected to a tropical rainfall. 
Although it has not occurred to him to admit it 
M. Baur must be well aware that experiments have' 
shown micro-organisma to be far more abundant on 
the surface and immediately below than at a depth 
of a foot or more. Indeed I believe that at quite 
moderate depths, it is possible to find soil that is 
absolutely germ free. 
Even if M. Baur proved by cultivation in gelatine 
the medium usually employed, the existence of 
large numbers of micro-organisms in our soil under 
normal conditions, nothing much wuuld be gained. 
For, according to his own showing, micro-organisma 
have always been at work maintaining the fertility 
of the soil, ant we can conceive no reason 
why they should not so continue doing till the 
end of time. But has their action rendered the 
application of nitrogenous manure unnecessary 
either in Europe or Ceylon I trow not. Is it 
not a fact well within the knowledge of most plan- 
ters that the results from Castor Cake— a manure 
whose value is almost entired nitrogenon-— have 
been universally most favorable? Why should this 
be, if sufficiency of nitrates already 'exists iu the 
soil ? Again why does M. Baur himself recommend 
nitrogenous manures, and why does he offer Castor 
Cake lor sale, if there is already an excess of ni- 
trates present in the soil '.' 
The fact is that the sooner M. B.iur recogni.sos that 
his self-proclaimed omniscience on the "i-ubject of 
mmuving is not acknowledged, the better it v.iil he 
foi himself and the general public, upon wh-m he 
iuflicts his dogmatic di-!iveranci s. 
On reflection I ihink, perhaps I have treated M 
Baur too seriously.-- Yours, etc., EX-PLAI\TEPt. 
MANURING OF TEA, AND NITROGEN. 
<ciP^^^' It was not niy intention to reply to 
Ex-Planter '""s letter, but as I find that some wion" 
impressions have been created it may be as well to 
shortly review his letter. 
I have brouLfht forward this nitvot^en qneition 
in rather a piominent fasliion, and I make no 
excuse for havini;- done so, as I eon.ider the 
same as one of the greatest Mnpoifance to our 
planting interest.*. I may also state that 1 nm 
quite prepared to argue the subject further, and 
to adduce unmistak;! hie practical evidence in 
support ot what I have written, tljon<j;ii for the 
present I must conline my remarks to tlie points 
raised by tliis correspondent. 
