The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-05-11
FIRST WEEK OF TOUR WILL
 END TODAY AT FAYETTt
Large Meeting at Winfield and at Ham ilton-Dr. Bonsteel Report Proves the Feature, Showing Nine
 Distinct Soils.
BY WALTER HARPER.

BY WALTER HARPER.
 Winfield. May 1O.-(Special) )-Congress- man Hobson and his party of experts addressed the largest meeting yet had on the tour at Winfield tonight The school house was filled to overfowing and there was great enthusiasm. The first week of the two weeks tour will close at Fayette tomorrow at noon and the members of the party will go into Birmingham to spend Sunday.
 At Hamilton, tle county seat of Marion county. Captain Hobson and his party addressed a large crowd in the court house. The principal feature of the meet- ing was the report of pr. A. Bonstee on the soil survey that is just being eonn- pleted. He was met there by o. L. Ayres, A. E. Cocker, II. l.. Westover and J. A. Allen. who nave been engaged for the past few months in making the survey. They submitted to their chief, Dr. Bon- steel, the maps and charts that have been so far completed.
 Dr. Bonsteel showed In his report that Marion has nine distinct soils, the Orange burg fine. sandy loam predominating.
 There are 160,O0O acres of this type of soil in the county. which is especially adapted to cotton, corn, peas and alfalfa. It is also finely adapted to peach cul- ture
 Dr. Bonsteel showed that the average yield of cotton in Marion county is larger than the average yield in the cotton belt,/ The meeting was opened and Captain Hobson was introduced by J. T. John- son, a prominent attorney of Hamilton. 
 Hamilton. May 1O.-(Special)-On of the most interesting features of the semi educational tour of Congressman R. P. Hobson through the Sixth district is the discussion of soils by Dr. J. A. Bonsteel, from the bureau of soils.
 There is perhaps not a better posted man on this subject In the department than Dr. Bonsteel, who Is In charge of the division of soil survey. He talks to the people in plain, everyday fashion that Is easily understood The surveying of the soils of the agri- cultural sections of the country will per- haps be of more real benefit to the farm CTS of this country than any other work of the department of agriculture. 1t promises something for the material bene- fit of the farmer that Is invaluable. It, analyses his soil and shows him its pro- ducng power. tells him its virtues and deficiencies in vital properties and sug- gests the crops and fertilizers best adapt- ed to each. Though only about one-fifth of Alabama has been surveyed 1t has been deter mined that forty-dve distinct soils exist in the state, all demanding different treatment and crops for securing the best results me aim of the department is to com plete the work of surveying the state as early as possible but unfortunately the appropriation is limited. MT. Bonsteel saysl that the interest that is being taken in the matter by Congressman Hobson and the aid he Is giving the state may hasten the work in Alabama and especially in the Sixth district.
 Hobson Applies for Survey. Captain Hobson has made application for the complete survey of the district and the application will certainly be con- sidered Tn its turn with favor.
 Sumter county has already been sur veyed and the work in Marion county will be in a few days. This leaves only seven counties in the district to be sur- veyed.
 History of Soil Survey. el Dr. Bonsteel said:
 'The first soil survey was made in Cos ell county, Maryland. in 1899. Since that time 255 surveys have been made in thei United States. scattered over forty-threel states and four territories In most in-l
  but sometimes more than one county Is; included and sometimes less.
 Up to June 90, 1906, about 11S000 squareI miles had been covered This year P, cool more square miles will have been sur veyed or are being surveyed at the pres- ent time. The cost of these surveys iS g 80 per square mile or mills per acre.l There are two men usually employed ini a survey party, a chief and his assist ant
 "The methods employed are very sin-1 pie yet thorough and practical. First surface or outline map of the county or territory to be surveyed isl secured if possible. If there is none thisl Is made. as the work proceeds
 "A large auger is employed by the sur veyor for testing the soil, which is care-f curately described on the chart. together with it's chemical properties to plant growth. Crops and fertilizer best adopted to the soil are given
 At the department at Washington samples of the different soils are given a practical test in growing actual plants. Here the plant is weighed at different peroids of growth and fertilizer tests are made to secure as nearly as possi- ble the productive virtues of the soil un- der ordinary conditions. All this infor- nation secured Is noted on the survey charts for the information of those in- terested.
 The minimum and maximum tempera- lures in climate are given as well as the average rain fall in each locality Tho crops best suited to each soil and locality art indicated.
 "The methods of analzng the soils arc so simple that after some instruction and careful study of the weather any