Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-08-04
SOIL SURVEY
IS IMPORTANT
Much Interest is Attracted
By Survey Work of ILL
nois University. :.

Urbana, 1n.-(By The Associated
Press .)-The University Ut Illinois
soil survey work which has attracted
wide interest, is as intricate and ex-
acting as it Is scientific and import
ant" says an official statement, from
the university describing the work.
In conducting the soil survey, the
county constitutes the unit Of work.
ing area" the statement said. I'm
order that the survey be thoroughly
trustworthy it is necessary that care-
full, well-trained men be employed to
do the mapping. The work is prose-
cuted to the best advantage by work.
ing In parties of from two to four.
Only such men are placed inNcharge 81
these parties as are thoroughly en-
perienced/ in the work.
Must Know Types.
"The men must be able to keen
their location exactly and to recognize
the different soil types, with their
principal variations and limits, and
they must show these upon the maps
correctly. A definite system is EN-.
ployed in checking up this work. AS
an illustration, one man will survey
and map a strip Of so rods wide and
any convenient length, while his as
sociate will work independently on
another strip adjoining his area, and
II n work is correctly done the soil
type boundaries will match up on the
line between the two strips.
can accurate base map for field
use is absolutely necessary for soil
mapping. The base maps are prepared,
on a scale Of One inch to the mile, the
official data of the original or subse-
quent land survey being used as a ba-
sis in their construction. Each SUR
veyor is provided with one/of these
base maps, which he carries with him
in the field; and the soil-type boun-
dartes, together with the streams.
roads, railroads, canals, and town
sites are placed in their proper lota-
tons upon the map while, che mapper
is on the Each section. or square
the map, and the surveyor must In
spect every ten acres and determine
the type OR. types Of soil thereon. The
different types are indicated on the
map by different colors.
Anger Is Used.
"a small auger 40 inches long
forms for each man an Invaluable
tool with which he can quickly Sc
cure samples OF the different strata
for inspeStion. An extension, for max
ing the auger 80 inches long lie taken
by each party, SO. that any popularity
of the deeper sub-soil layers may be
studied. Each man carries a compass
to aid in keeping directions. Distances
along roads are measured by a speed
ometer or by some other measuring
device, while distances in the field
away from the roads are determined
by pacing, an art in which the men
become expert By practice. The soil
boundaries can, thus be located with
as high a degree Of accuracy as can
be indicated by pencil on the scale
Of n inch to the mile.
After all the soil types OF a county
have been located and mapped, sam
pies representative Of the different
types are collected for chemical anal
ysis. For this purpose. usually three
strata are sampled, namely: the Sdr-
face (oto 8 2-S inches,) the sub-sur-
face &c 2-3Nto 20 inches), and the
subsoil go to 40 ihches). These strata
correspond approximately, in the
common kinds of soil, to 1000, o0t
pounds of dry soil an acre in the sur.
face layer, and. to two times and three
times this quantity In the .sub-surface
a vi.