Putnam patriot., 1910-07-08
Work of the Soil Survey.

!
 Congressman Edwin W. Higgins, ei the Third District, has done distinct service to further the interests of Wind ham county; Putnam has been espe- cially favored through his instrumen- tality in securing an appropriation oi s65, 900 for a new post office building for our city, getting il carried through the session when it was asked for something seldom accomplished. The
 project is already under way so far as ] advertising for suitable site. Our citizens in this initial step, shoaidtake some public action to have the site where 1t will best meet their wishes, as
 il is of great importance 10 the city that the location be selected for it's pre- sent needs and prospective growth. We wish now simply to speak of an important work in the interest of the farmers of this county which Con. gEessman Higgins has aided to secure. dt is a work for the beneiitof the farm- .ers of the county, is 'a ."Soil Survey by which the characters of the soil in every section can be know as perfectly as each farmer can know the character of the sails of each portion of his farm by which he can decide what crops each part is best suited to raise.
 MT. Frank Bennett, Agent of the Bureau of Soils, U.S. department of AgLiculture, has made Putnam hts headquarters, taking up his abode,
 with his wife, at the Putnam Inn. He
 has already commenced the work of surveying. Its purposes are thus de scrihad:
 The soils of the United States constf- tute the greatest natural wealth pro ducing resources of the country. They produce not only the food and clothing of all of the people but nearly one salf of all the materials used in manufac- ture, and vast majority of the mate rials which, through commerce, are ex- changed in the markets of the world. In fact the soils of the United States haxe maintained the favorable balance of trade for the .coyntry duIing the
 past decade, and without the surplus of agricultural products the balance Of trade would be against this country. In the northeastern portion of the
 T. niiad States. and .particularly in the
 New England States, agriculture for the psst thirty years has come infom-
 petition with the farming of extensive tracts sf level and fertile lands in the middle States. As a result the farmers of New England, who haSeendeavoted to keep on in the elder methods of grass and grain production, have been una l bie to compete in the production 0' these staple commodities with the prai- rie sections. The Ialtef though produ. cling no greater yields per acre, on the average, than the farms of Kew Eng
 land. produce each bushel of grain or each ton of hay at less expense than they can possibly be produced under the conditions which prevail iG the norlheasteTn Mates.
 As result of these changes in the agricultural condition of tue entire country, practically all of tue norih- eastern States must look to specialized forms of farming. ii. the agricultural population is to continue prosperous and the farmers of New England aud the nearby States are 10 contin1e upon their home farms.
 In order thai new impetus and . new direction may be gsren to the ag ficulture of these States, II is necessary % determine, first of all, tine different kiRds of soils which exist within their borders and the best uses to which each of these soils may he put in the pro dueiion of specialized and highly val ua6le fofms of farm crops which can be raised under m intensive system, and which find . rcsd.. market in the dense centers of population. like the manufacturing cities and towns of New England and the great commercial een- tef1 Of New York. Philadelphia, Pitss- burg and the ether large cities of ths northeastern states.
 IL is the purpoae of the soil survey to exsmine the diGssent coils which e. cur in each county in the United stasa, In order 70 asssrtaia nos only vAaf their prsseut capabil1siss of csop pse- ducsion may bs, ed ie dsasrmine ths hsss n>sshedn tg gpseduaf.G lssas ana pso6tabls ssaq6 ssoSs tsns tlhsap esf1s, bas alDo so dso1fnine wha nev esops nay be lnsrs 5ieeye idvAela6s upde eenh eaeef sho lIaSssnl ssll s0en, ,anl witch msy b iins vspaaD pass es all q the stapie grain and grow 1sses vhs1h have Sss1ssly hssn SaiaDa.
 xev Eagiaad takea e . wheae. svss hslf q ths peoslsetes eesaises e ees-