The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-05-12
FRESH INTEREST
IN A DRY SUBJECT
Study Of Dirt and Dust Gathered
from All Over the United
States.
UNCLE.sAM WANTS THE. EARTH
Millions Involved in the Work
Of Bureau Of
Soils.

WASHINGTON, May lin the cabi-
nets Of the Bureau OF Soils, a part Of
Uncle Sans Department OF Agriculture,
Is to be seen the most extensive collec-
ton OF dirt-unlesss possibly in the streets
Of New York or RichmondEto be found
in North America. The subject to the
visitor looks very dry one. In a sense
1t Is SO, for II the tops should suddenly
BIO removed from the almost innumerable
little glass bottles In which the specimens
Of soil and subsoil are preserved, and n
stirring breeze should be set whirring in
the room, miniature example OF the
combined dust OF the United States could
be raised in a way to mako one who has
ljourneyed in summer time from Maine to
Southern California appreciate that 1t is
possible to get tho effect Of travelling
intensively without stirring q foot.
Most people, Of course, are interested
| in dirt and dust only to avoid them, but
the young scientists In governmental em-
ploy are to-day creating q new science
through study of the little lunches Of
earth that are pulled up by "soIl augers"
from every district OF our dominion. A
typical area ls selected, the field workers
go over It. driving with their boring APP
paratus down to the bottom of the soil,
here perhaps IL inches from the surface.
there 3 or 4 feet. The reddish, brown
or gray results of their digging are sent
| to the central bureau III Washington,
there to become part OF permanent and
1 rapidly growing collection. This class-
| location As one of immense value to scien-
| tifc men,. rs we'll as to all the ngrlcul-
l'tural interests Of the country, and one
that is now. through the cooperation of
the experts working under Chief Whit
ney's supervision. being reduced to n
more definite scheme Of classification
than any ever made before.
Study of Dirt.
1t is, at all events, characteristic of
the cooperation that Is possible between
the, experts In the government service
land tho modern university that one OF
the candidates for Ctc Of the higher
degrees OF the George washington Uni
| yerslty George N. Coffoy. in charge OF
the work Of the Bureau OF Soils, should
be gathering from his daily labors and
from study under eminent scientists tho
material necessary for n thesis upon this
Important subject OF soil clnss1ticat ton.
| WORDING with tho assistance Of two nl-
thorltics In special lines who are mem
bers Of the faculty OF tho George Wash
ington University, Prof. George +. Mer-
| ril', head curator of the Department OF
Geology of the United States Museum
since 1897. and Professor Cleveland Able
metaorologlst and founder Of the first daily
l NS1lHeI s'cpo'N III t'lo SHleu soluleS, III
! whom tho press OF the seventies and
eighties knew as "Old Probabilities" Mr.
i Coffey Is endeayorlng to classify the re.
suits of tho labors of q whole generation
OF governmental investigators In very
Important field.
For sucl, undertakings nro much mor'
| closely connected With everyday lii,
than might appear on the surface. Mil
lions upon millions OF dollars have beer
~ ~
4 Just the same way that millions OF dol
\ lars ARE wasted apnunly In education b.
parents who fail 20 appreciate that chill!
i dren are not ali dixie
Soils and Folks,
\ Indeed. tile scientists Of the bureau o
Soils will tell you that tho various earths
4 are not 80 Unlike the human beings tina
~