The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-10-01

alyze them. In some cases they have an electrical apparatus which tells the pres ence of salts in the soil, and they use every means of getting accurate, up to date information.
 The maps show the lay of the land, the streams, the roads and the chief market towns. They show you the educational facilities and character of the people. They describe the towns and the trans portation facilities, steam and electric, and also the waterways. They will tell you whether the roads are good or bad and whether they are toll roads or free
 roads. They give the climate and the temperature from month to month the entire year. They take up each crop that Is raised and tell how it should be handled to make it grow better They describe the stock raising possibilities,
 give the rates of farm wages, and every
 thing, in short, that the man who wishes to settle in such county should know.
 How the Surveys Are Used
 This information is of great value to
 investors, for by it they can tell the pos
 sibility of the farmers paying their loans
 or the credit which should be given to the
 county or to the townships or the munich
 palities within it. They are of advantage
 to the railroads, who can use the infor-
 nation for the placing of immigrants,
 and to settlers and land buyers of every description. I understand that the rail-
 roads are already using them very exten- sively and are making the investigations of the bureau the basis for the building up of their traffic and of settling their lands.
 Indeed, I feel unable to express the great value of the work which the bureau of soils is doing for the country. It not only tells us what our lands are, but no W each kind should be treated that fertility may be increased. Among the work of it's laboratories are recent discoveries in the renovation of soils. Dr. Whitney does not think that lands can wear out, and he
 believes that good handling can restore the original forces of almost any soll
 upon earth. He says that lands in the Orient which have been formed for zc centuries are still producing good crops, and that the soil which was titled whom William the Conqueror came Into Eng land still keeps up the average wheat yield of that country to about 8 bushels to the acre. Medicine for Sick Lands
 One of the most interesting of the pres ent investigations is that being made by Dr. Schreiner and others as to the ieic- terious matter which is found in some soils. This may be poisonous to the plants and may retard their growth, al though the soil may have abundant blanl food and all the other conditions which should produce the richest of crops
 In going through the laboratories was shown plants which were being tested. Ir one glass a plant would be growing In the original soil, and in another it would be standing in the same earth with fer tilizers added. In both these cases ths -;nl~l I.a,- small root deveopment. In the third glass the same plant would be put in | the same soil with an antidote to corrco, what the scientists believe to be pois
 onous element of the soil. and in this | last case the plant was luxuriant with
 great roots, showing that 1t was the poisol and not the lack of plant food that kept | it from growing. This, Dr. Schreins, tells me, is the case with a great nan, of the farms of our country. They neet medicine to take the bad stun out of theil
 system, just as you and I need liver pills