The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1921-11-18
SOIL SURVEY VALUABLE
ITO FARMERS IN MAKING
SELECTION OF A FARM


APE you thinking of buying a farm?
Maybe you are purchasing one for
the first time, or perhaps you are SELL
ing your htg h-priced acres. in the corn
belt and re-investing in cheaper lands
in another state. In either case there
is a very helpful companion you can
take with o on the inspection trip
a soil survey report of the region
you are going into, prepared by the
Bureau of Soils of the United States
Department of Agriculture, in cooper
alton with state agencies.
An Unbiased Counselor
1t is a--counselor whose advice is
absolutely unbiased. Its judgment is
not only in black and white, but in
connection with the report is a color
cd soil map. This consists OF a base,
showing the salient natural features
of the area surveyed, and the towns,
houses, roads, railways, n other
artificial features. The various areas
of the different types of soil are out
lined and colored.
Ordinarily the survey cover a single
county. A surveying party. consisting
usually of two men, visits every part
OF the chosen area, tracing M locat-
ing the soil boundaries, taking sam
pies Of the soil and of the subsoil
10 a depth of 3 feet in the West and
10 6 feet in the far West. They identify
the various types of soil, SO far as
49,, - ao-- r1r. f;o1l ton
The work is revised by inspectors,
who visit the areas from time to time,
and is finally passed upon by a COM
mittee, who make certain that each
soil is properly named.
There are in the United States g.
O43 counties. Detailed surveys have
been completed thus far in 926 coun-
'ties-in this count have been included
q few areas, each covering only a
part Of a county or parts of several
counties, The total extent of these
surveys, SAT, 733 square miles, is equal
TO the combined areas of Great Brit
ain, France and the German Empire.
before the a In addition to the
AREA surveyed In detail, about an
equal extent of country has been COW
cred by reconnaissance maps, the two
together representing one-third the
area Of continental United States, and
very much more than one-third Of
the arabic lands Of the Nation. Be-
fore buying a farm ii would be well
10 inquire OF the department whether
or not It had made a survey Of the
locality. If so, and the report has been
published, it may be had for the ask
ing,
1t may be that in deciding to buy a
farm a definite type Of agriculture has
been determined upon. Some quest
ions will arise. Where can land best
suited to that type be found? Upon
what soils can rice growing be safely
and profitably undertaken. or the
production Of tobacco OF the various
kinds be followed, or the rising of hogs
with alfalfa pasture as a feature in
their management be engaged in?
Perhaps you would establish a com
mercial peach orchard in Georgia, en-
bark upon the growing of long staple
cotton in South Carolina or special
ize in the production Of asparagus,
peppers. tomatoes for canning, or lima
beans in New Jersey. The results of
the soil survey will help you to Sc
loct suitable land. The records of the
department shows steadily increasing
number Of persons using its sell pub
locations in this way.
The basis for the valuation Of farm
land and the foundation of the wealth
OF agricultural communities is the
productiveness Of the soil. 1t is there
fore not surprising that concerns in
terested in the placing of arm loans
In the handling of rural mortgage Sc
curities or in the financing of in
dustrial enterprises depending upor
the soil for their raw materials should
find in the information afforded b
the soil survey publications a valuable
AID 10 their business.
Productiveness Determines Values
A distant banker may find 1t wei
worth while TO substantiate the favor
able opinion OF his local agent a.
10 lending $4,000 TO Mr.. b. with hi
farm situated l mile from Beeville al
security. A glance at a soil man may
do this, or 1t may INCORPORATING upor
what IL shows. Mr.. BIS farm may b.
composed entirely OF the Hagerstowr
silt loan, one Of the very best soil
In the East, with a value In norma
times running from 800 to 5000 al
acre. With other known facts, thi
would make the security ample, on tn,
other hand, the survey may show III
farm 10 be composed of the Norfoll
sand and undrained Portsmouth soil
IN IN undeyeloped part of the Coasta
Plain. Even II there were 1900 acres
the local gents favorable report woult
require. to say the least, careful
explanation.
These are a few Of the more obviou
ways In which use Is made OF III
facts gathered by the soil survey. TIL
value Of such use. while large AM
for growing Importance. is overshadoy
ed by the present and p~rospectiv
value OF a less obvious and-as re
CARDS the ultimate beneficiaries, tn
farmer and the general public less d
rect use. This is the use OF the scien
tlfc data concerning soils by sGer
workers in all the varied lines OF en-
deavor looking to the improvement o
agriculture.
APPLE STORAGE TROI'RI rs