NITRO-BACTERINE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10143, 20 January 1911, Page 5

NITRO-BACTERINE.

ITS EFFECT ON VEGETABLE . . ;.; , ...LIFE,.., ._..., - INvMASTER^ONi';;; 1 ' 'For several years past, >: a number* of Mastertpn settlers have been trying the effect upon their cereal and other crops of the use of a com- , pound, known as nitro-bacterine. This compound was first:' discovered 'a few years back'by. Prof essor Bothamley, one of the most skilful bacteriologists of modern times.., were distributed free, for a time; but , it was discovered that the mere fact of its being free created a prejudice j against it. The nitro-bacterine ; is j ~npw being supplied at a smalLcost; \ but when it is stated that an acre..;i of land .' may be treated at an es-j pense of not more than ninepence or I tenpence, it may readily be seen that ' .the compound is within the reach of J all. A representative' of ,the Age I was yesterday afforded an opportun- j ity of judging some of the effects of 1 the hitro-bacterinp upon plan£ life,- ; at the homestead of a local; farmer. J >On.one field'was" "a splendid'-crop of," peas, which were just being harvested. Last season a crop of oats, which produced three tons of chaff per acre, was fatten from the paddock, which was then put down in barley. The barley grew vigorously, and was thi'ee times cut for fodder. Following this came the peas. The whole of the cereals had been treated with-nitro-bacterine,'and the result, by comparison, was marvellous. On the same farm was a bed of onions, one. portion of which had been treated and the other grown in the usual way. The contrast was striking, to say the least of it. Then there were potatoes, and parsnips, and celery, and beet. All of these pi*esented similar contrasts. Fruit trees,; also, had' been and there was unmistakea'ble evidence of. the effect of the bacteria upon the health of the trees and their fruitfulness. In fact, the non-legumin-ous as well as leguminous plants were thriving with the assistance of nitro-bacterine. As evidence of the propagation of bacteria, it may be stated that 500,000 micro-organisms develop from a single organism in the space of twenty-four hours. The method of treatment is so simple, and the cost so low that the wonder is that a farmer is to be found who does not avail himself of nitro-bac-terine. We understand that Mr J. Wingate, who is the Masterton agent for the bacterine, will be pleased to furnish all information concerning it.