What inoculation of the soil means.—Not all soils contain just the sort of bacteria needed for the legume that you may desire to grow. Some soils never have had legumes growing in them, and hence, the particular bacteria needed may not be present then at all. If this is the case, the crop will do but poorly, especially if the land is old, deficient in vegetable matter, and worn out. Το prepare the way, the soil must be inoculated: bacteria must be introduced into the land. You know how the yeast plant is employed in bread-making, just a tiny bit of it is used. When warmth and moisture are supplied these yeast plants develop rapidly and soon leaven the whole. So with the bacteria of the legumes. In the first instance, with no yeast, there can be no "rising" of the bread, while in the second, with no bacteria-those of the right kind-in the soil, there can be no formation of the tubercles on the roots of the legume. Hence, the need of inoculation, if the wished-for end is to be attained.

Each legume has its own worker. One of the first steps of inoculation is to get the right bacteria, for the reason that each legume has its own bacteria with which it works-personal servants peculiarly loyal and devoted to it. Thus the bacteria that are allied with the cow peas positively refuse to labor with the alfalfa or with the clovers. These bacteria would rather die, than seek dwelling places on the roots of either alfalfa or clover. But the same peculiarity is true of alfalfa and clover bacteria: these behave in precisely the same way to the cow pea or to the soy bean, as their relatives do to their lords and masters. In other words, each legume becomes a favorite abiding place for some special kind of bacteria, and long coaxing is necessary in order to get them to do differently. In a few cases bacteria are known to be more plastic, burr clover and sweet clover being two exam

ples that lend their silent servants to alfalfa with no noticeable resentment on the part of the bacteria. It is not the rule, however. Born within their caste, it seems out of the question for bacteria to escape the borders that enclose them. It is no doubt true that these many kinds of bacteria-each legume has its own-came from a common ancestry, when all legumes were served alike, and before wide differences became manifest.

As an example of this, we have only to refer to the experience of all alfalfa growers in those sections of the country where this crop has been introduced only recently. Although some other legume may have been grown repeatedly on the same soil, no assistance seems to be afforded the alfalfa plant until first there is supplied to the soil the special bacteria that have grown accustomed to this legume.

Bacteria may act slowly at first.-It often happens, also, that when legumes are grown in a soil for the first time, neither they nor bacteria do very effective work. Either they have not got acquainted sufficiently to work in harmony, or too few bacteria are present in the soil. I have observed this a number of times, and with several legumes. The first season but little is done: the roots lack vigor and possess but few nodules, the stalk is slender and lacks hardiness, the leaves are pale, and poor health is generally manifest. In the second season a change is noted: in each respect just mentioned there is improvement and betterment. And often a third year, even, is necessary in order to secure vigor, strength, color, yield and size-just as you would have them. An examination of the roots shows that an abundance of tubercles is obtained, often, during the second season, and usually by the third. Plants and bacteria now work in harmony, and both prosper.

You should not despair, therefore, if appearances are against the crop during the first or second year. Just keep at work and repeat the operation a second or even a third time. The bacteria will come and work. The land will be saved!

When trying a legume for the first time, give it a chance. If it fails to meet your expectation, do not despair. But refrain from blaming the legume, nor blame the bacteria, either. Just repeat the experiment, and or the same land. Give both time to join hands, to get together and acquainted, to adjust their characters to suit each other's peculiarities; and, above all, give the bac teria time to increase and to multiply and to fill the land with their kind. Then the work will be done with ef fectiveness, just as it will be done to your profit and advantage.

Many ways of inoculation.-There are three ways known of getting bacteria into the soil, if not already. present there. These three ways are:

1. By introducing soil from a field known to contain the desired bacteria to the field where it is desired such bacteria shall be.

2. By soaking seed in water in which soil from a field. where the legume has been successfully grown, has been stored.

3. By means of pure cultures of the specific organism suited to the legume.

The first way suggested represents the beginning of soil inoculation. It was effective, as it is still to-day the most effective. There are objections to this method, however. It is an inconvenient method of doing the work; it tends to introduce noxious weeds; and it spreads plant diseases; hence, the reason for the "pure-culture method."

Inoculation by means of soil.—If this method is to be used-whether obtained from nearby fields, or shipped long distances-the evidence should be clear that the soil is free from the objections just stated. Here is the plan: take soil from some field known to contain the desired bacteria. Does this soil yield the legume abundantly? Do you find tubercles on the roots? You do. Then that is good soil for the purpose. All you need to do is transfer this already-inoculated soil to the land that is to receive the good fairies of the land. If this soil is fine and mellow and of good tilth, if it is well drained, either naturally or artificially, if it is free from distasteful acids, then other things being equal—the plant at home in its environment, the soil suitable to it-the crop will grow, the bacteria will prosper, the land will yield forth its fruitfulness.

In getting the soil, it is best to go down where the roots grow-not the top layer. A layer between two and six inches from the surface will be just about right. Apply this soil to the field that is to be inoculated, or else mix with the seed, slightly covering with the harrow.

And now another question: How much soil is necessary? Not much. Just 200 to 500 pounds per acre will do. If the soil be in good condition, a small quantity will leaven the entire mass, the entire solid body. On the other hand, if the soil is bad, physically, a larger quantity may be better-twice the quantity previously suggested. In either case, mix with other soil-just common soil of the field-and then harrow for even distribution. That is all there is to inoculation when inoculated soil is used. Once done, it is always done, provided the legume crop is not neglected for too great an intervening period.

Inoculation by soaking seed in soil and water. The second suggestion is often used in practice now. Soil is