Evening star., 1946-06-09
End of Food Pinch
Seen as Goal of ~
World Soil STUDY


Food shortages should be BAN
ished forever both from this coun-
try and the rest Of the world if
projects of DR.. Charles E. Kellogg
Of the Agriculture Department are
completed.
Now halfway through one of the
departments most ambitious un-
dertakings, DR.. Kellogg. head Of the
Division of Soil Survey at Belts
vile, Nd. has dedicated his career
to taking the guesswork out Of
farming
In cooperation with State uni
versities and State agriculture de-
partments DR.. Kellogg and his staff
of nearly 100 scientists are making
color maps of every acre OF every
county in the Nation. But they
are not like other maps.
They not only tell the type of
soil in every acre but also what
type Of vegetable to plant in it
and what the annual yield should
be-
At the same time, he is taking
steps to re-establish the Interna-
tional Soil Service Survey, inactive
since the war, which has operated
for the exchange Of soil informa-
ton throughout the world.
When the maps are completed.
and the survey again working" he
says, "all farmers in the world will
have available to them the infor-
nation on all the soils in all lands,
near and far"
Russian Soil Similar.
DR.. Kellogg, who in the II years
since he was graduated from Michi-
gan State College, has amassed at
least as much knowledge of soils as
any living man, has found that the
same types Of soil in this country
are to be found in similar regions
the world over.
In Russia, there is a soil known
as 'tchernoziom,'" says DR.. Kellogg
who toured the Soviet Union a year
ago. 1T is found in vast farming
areas Of Russia. 1t is just the same
as our black earth Of North Dakota. -
Although his division has sample
bottles of about 100000 different bits
Of earth, he says there are only 80
main types OF soil in the country,
with 10000 subdivisions.
DR.. Kellogg doesn't pretend to be
able to pick up handful of dirt and
tell II it came from Centralia, ILL.,,
or Nokesville, Va.
III you show me samples taken
from depths which go down to 2 or
3 feet he adds, its not hard to
tell the region 1t comes from. The
Texas red earth, the Arizona sandy
soil. the New England earth with a
high rocky content. for example,
aren't easy to mistake"
Five Factors in Soil.
That soils are different and are
suitable for growing different types
OF vegetation, he explains by five
different factors: Rocks, the topog-
raphy OF the earth, age, climate and
living and decaying vegetation, as
well as animal and bacteria life.
Composition of the soil does not
mean very much but once its chem
ical content is ascertain ined and ii
is discovered what kinds of chem
icals various plants are allergic to
it means great deal. DR.. Kellogg s
division has done that and is
thereby taking the guesswork out of
agriculture.
To the Russians he gives credit
for undertaking the first broad
research" in soil classification. He
admires their industry both as
farmers and people even to the
extent of keeping copper hammer
and sickle on his desk given tc
him by soldier during his tour,
He hopes by 1850 the internationa
survey will be in smooth WORKING
order, although he feels there i.
"a possibility of region meetings ir
the various countries by next year
That the day of internationa
farming cooperation is not too fal
away is attested to by the presence
OF scientists from China. Australia
East Africa, Portugal, Great Brit.
ain, New Zealand, Argentina. PERI
Mexico and Canada-all studyint
in the various soil survey branche!
throughout the country.
One day" he says. when We ar.
satisfied with their sincerity. we viii
invite representatives from Ger,
many, Japan and Italy to collab.
crate on our soil studies"
! Among the best varieties of spin.
ach for freezing are Old Dominion
and Long Standing Bloomsdale.
! A.