Show Inoc Inoculation Is IsAid IsAid Aid to Soy Bean Beall 1 One Blot Yield Increased Three Times Weight Weigh I of bf Cured Hay Prepared by the United States D Department ott nt cf d Agriculture To ro plant soy beans hean from the same lot Jot of ot seed In the same saine field during the same summer with the the same sam amount of fertilizer and make one ODe plot yield three times the w weight ot of cured hay iy as ns another plot Is an accomplishment ac nc- ac- ac worthy of ot mention Such a n large Increase measured In terms of oC the weight of dried hay resulted resulted re re- re- re suIted during the thue past summer from the Inoculation of ot soy bean enn seed with nodule bacteria according to observations LIons and measurements r recently completed completed coni com com- by specialists In iii soil soli microbiology of ot the UnI States Department Depart went meat of Agriculture Untreated Se Seed d Used Used J In a n acre SO-acre field upon a high billon hill bill hillon on the farm of F F. F K It Fred near Middleburg Mid Mid- Va a th the supply of ot inoculated seed seed ran out temporarily at the time of ot planting and the s drill was run with untreated seed for several trips around the around the sides of a n large square of land larn until more seed could coul he be treated and arid placed In the tue drill Then th the j seeding was completed with the Inoculated I fated seed Long before harvest time the result became visible to the whole countryside From the lowlands and from Crom the opposite hll hills s a great yellow enow square re became more and more distinct as the acres of inoculated soy soybean bean ba hay gr grew V steadily greener and nd dark dark- ar r n and d the plants from seed grew ell and brighter Dr E. E B. B Fred of the the University of WL Wisconsin Dr Charles Thorn Thom chief of the division of microbiology y and L L. Tr T T. r. r Leonard oD rd bacteriologist of the he bureau of ot chemistry and s soils Inspected the field neld They found that tb the inoculated plants were much taller and healthier r. r than those untreated and that they Ill also o contained many more seed p pods ds Difference In Yield To determine the differences resultIng result- result tug log from Inoculation from Inoculation careful ments were made matJe by the department department- specialists In soil son bacteriology of oJ both the tf treated ted and untreated unheated plants Fifty plants taken from each portion f the field showed that the treated 1 plants plants' grew grew to an nn average height of 39 39 Inches the others to only 23 inches An n An estimate of ot the tile yield of of dry hay gave fave tw two and a n half tons to the acre for the In Inoculated seed and only three- three fourths of a ton for the other Anther An- An ther startling difference was the av av rage elrige of 20 pods carried carriell by the Inoculated plants as compared d with an nn average average average av av- av- av of five pods for those untreated Finally i alli an analysis of ot the Ule plants showed that those grown from Inoculated inoculated l ted seed carried approximately twice the percentage of protein as the oth- oth irs rs Agar culture of nodule bacteria Irom the Wisconsin College of Agriculture ture wa was u used for Inoculation Asked If inoculation of soy bean benn seed with reliable cultures would al- al wn profitable returns the department specialists in soil soli bacteriology riol g replied Probably not Some does doE's not need need Inoculation for forthe forthe forthe the organisms are already ady there but It Is worth trying In any community where here nodules are not Dot abundant on tile the roots of legumes Each farmer should determine this matter for tor himself himself him him- self by planting Inoculated seed side sideby sideby sideby by side with seed andl and and- l let t U the c facts speak for themselves es |