Show inoculating ALFALFA SEED sole cole duty of Bac bacteria terla Is in gathering nitrogen from air and turning over to plants by JOHN r P NIC nOLSON idaho ex I 1 Perin lent Sta station Uon tho correspondence recently ro ra calved aby ay the idaho experiment station would indicate that some farmers have a wrong idea as to the use 0 of inoculation material for alfalfa and other legumes leg umea these bacteria applied to the seed aeed have no power to assist in the germination of the seed in increasing the stand or la in correcting detrimental influences that may be operating in the soil their sole duty is in gathering nitrogen from the air and turning it over to the plants on they grow it if the soil boll to la deficient in nitrogenous fertilizers therefore they will enable the legume to malto make a good growth and yield it if the soil on the other hand to is sour or contains ns alkali then these bacteria will bo be of little use again if poor seed is used or too much or too little seed Is sown the bacteria will not remedy these troubles these bacteria need not be used tt it the legumes already growing in any particular soil show the nodules on the roots this can be determined by careful examination of the roots for the nodules on them new ground la Is frequently deficient in these bacteria teria and they should be applied artificially fici ally the idaho experiment station will furnish any farmer of idaho the tha proper bacteria at five cents per acre which represents about the cost of production |