NEw YorK AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 39 
cessfully without artificial inoculation. The extent to which they 
will grow this crop successfully when this inoculation is supplied 
will be brought out under a later heading. 
METHODS FOR SUPPLYING INOCULATION. 
The methods which have been advacated for supplying the desired 
inoculation may be grouped under the following heads: (1) Re- 
seeding with alfalfa the field which has failed; (2) applying the 
commercial cultures dried upon cotton; (3) applying living cul- 
tures of Ps. radicicola to the seed; (4) applying soil from an old 
alfalfa field. 
Reseeding with alfalfa It is a common observation that a sec- 
ond trial of alfalfa often succeeds upon a field where the first at- 
tempt was a failure. When the failure is due to a lack of inocula- 
tion, the scattering nodules produced act as centers for multiplying 
the desired germs. When the field 1s ploughed these germs are scat- 
tered broadcast and are ready to enter the roots of the succeeding 
crop. 
Under certain conditions this may be a desirable way of building 
up an inoculation in a small area from which the soil may later 
be used for inoculating large areas. It has the advantage that it 
reduces to the minimum the danger of introducing objectionable 
weeds and pests. Its disadvantages lies in the fact that by such a 
method it may take two or three years before a successful stand can 
be obtained and meanwhile the expense in labor, seed and use of 
ground is considerable. 
Using commercial cultures— The directions accompanying the 
commercial cultures which were upon.the market in 1905 and 1906, 
stated that after being moistened by the solution containing the bac- 
teria the seed should be air-dried in the shade. If the seed was kept 
dry the inoculation would remain active for several weeks. As has 
been shown in detail in Bulletins 270 ‘and 282 of this Station the 
commercial cultures upon the market have been of no practical 
value because they did not carry an appreciable number of living 
germs. Accordingly we did not attempt to test their efficiency by 
field experiments. The wisdom of our action in this respect is 
shown by the fact that all of the agricultural experiment station 
workers*? who have tested these cultures unite in saying that no 
results can be expected from this form of culture. 
—_—— 
” For a list of such Stations see footnote in N. Y. Agr. Exp. Sta. Bul. 282. 
19c6. 

