218 
Journal of Agricultural Research 
Vol. XI, No. s 
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EFFECT OF THE MY¬ 
CELIUM ON SOIL 
CONDITIONS 
The development of 
the mycelium brings 
about both chemical 
and physical changes 
in the soil. 
CHEMICAL CHANGES 
The chemical 
changes consist largely 
of the reduction of or¬ 
ganic matter, brought 
about by the sapro¬ 
phytic nature of the 
fungus mycelium, and 
of the subsequent 
decay of the myce¬ 
lium itself, owing to 
the action of molds 
or bacteria. 
The protein portion 
of the dead organic 
matter of the soil is 
reduced to ammonia, 
which either unites 
with other compounds 
or is changed by bac¬ 
teria to nitrites and 
these in turn by 
other bacteria into 
nitrates. 
There duction of the 
organic material thus 
furnishes a quantity 
of readily available 
nitrogenous material 
for the use of the 
green plants. Since 
on account of the dry 
subsoil and small 
amount of rainfall no 
leaching takes place 
