Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-05
Precedents
Lacking.

Y,. ing and classification of
] soils becomes ncreasingly
important and complex. The subject
which the bureau Is undertaking is a new
one. No organization except the bureau
of soils has ever undertaken to classify
| in detail the soils of any country, how
| ever small or simple. There are no tradi-
tons. therefore, to guide in this work.
The bureau is pioneer. During the fiscal
year of 1912 more time was spent on this
work than in any previous year.
| Like all subjects which are investigated
as thoroughly as the bureau is doing
that of soils, the results are necessarily
more or less technical. Their publications
| would not be picked up for the purpose
OF securing light reading. and. indeed, to
the majority of laymen. would seem
somewhat In the nature Of 'Sanscrit. Chi
| nese or the like. This being the case the
| bureau has fallen into line with the
movement of simplifying things. During
the past year set of circulars was pre-
pared. giving brief and non-technical de.
scriptions Of the origin. place of occur
renee, properties and uses of forty of the
most important types Of soils found with
In the eastern portion OF the United States.
A corresponding set of bulletins is in
course of preparation which will discuss
at greater length the essential facts
which have been learned through the ex-
| tended study OF each of the soil groups
| of the eastern states. Each of these bull
letins will contain monograph upon the
origin. mode of formation, region Of dis
tributton, agricultural occupation, best
uses of general and special crops, and the
| results now obtained from the various
members Of each soil series. Both Of
these classes Of publications are intended
to summarize the vast amount of use
full information which has been secured
| in the progress of soil survey and to
render II easily accessible to farmers,
| teachers, Investigators of soil problems.
students Of agricultural economies and
| investors in farm lands. They will ulti-
mately serve to present the first classified
| and detailed description of the available
soil resources Of the nation.
While the preparation Of these soil SUR
| veys forms the chief function of the
bureau Of soils, several
Separate ADMINISTRATIONS are be-
r: ing carried on along the
AA4 uAA1eo' same general lines. The
most important of these at present in
clude investigations on the cause and pre-
vention Of the rise of alkali In the soil
the drainage of soils and investigations
into the potash and fertilizer resources
of the country.
AS before stated, the total area of soil
The area OF Germany. France. Great Brit
ain and Ireland and Italy combined totals
647, 1884 square miles. or but little more
than the area of land surveys. Nearly
seventy-five counties I'm twenty -eight
states We're surveyed last year. OF that
total the greatest number in a single
state were surveyed in Missouri. Of which
eleven were classified and mapped. West
Virginia carried off the banner as re-
CARDS the size Of any single area survey
ed, as ''the Huntington area covered 1, 2jJ
square miles. AS against this, is an area
of twelve square miles surveyed in
Florida.
task. In an average year the bureau of
soils expends $1,000 on reconnaissance
soil surveys and nearly $50, 600 on detailed
soil surveys. In addition to this, much of
the work done by the bureau is carried on
in cooperation with the different states,
many of which make individual appropria-
tons. BY this means. in one year there
bureau Of soils for detailed surveys al
most $4,000 which had been appropriated
by Alabama, Kansas, Mississippi, Mis-
souri,, New Jersey, New York. North
Carolina, North Dakota, Pennsylvania,
Tennessee. West Virginia and Wisconsin.
The list of states thus aiding in this
work is growing as rapidly as the work Of
the bureau permits.
Congress, the middle of last year, passed
a law providing for the classification of
the lands included within the national
forests. AS soon as the bill became a
law, the forester asked for the co-opera-
ton of the bureau Of soils. Due to the
limited resources OF the bureau, only four
men could be detailed. but they were
chosen from the most able members Of
the force. The work was begun during
the past summer.