United States Department of Agriculture, BUREAU OF SOILS— CIRCULAR No. 13. Revised. MILTON WHITNEY, Chief of Bureau. U. S. DEPARTMENT OK AGRICULTURE, Washington, D. C., April 8, 1905. SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith a manuscript, "The Work of the 15 urc '.an of Soils." This is intended for distribution at the Lewis and Clark Exposi- tion at Portland, Oreg., and contains a condensed account of the work of this Bureau, with particular attention to its practical side. I respectfully recommend that this be published as a revised edition of Circular No. 13 of this Bureau. Respectfully, MILTON WHITNEY, Chief of Bureau. Hon. JAMES WILSON, Secretary of Agriculture. THE WORK OF THE BUREAU OF SOILS. In 1894 a division was created in the Weather Bureau " for the study of climatology in its relation to soils." At the time of its creation it had a chief of division, 4 soil experts, 3 clerks, and 2 laborers. On July 1, 11)01, the Division was made an independent bureau of the Department of Agriculture, and on January 1, 1905, its force con- sisted of a chief of bureau, chief clerk, 83 scientists and soil experts, 13 tobacco experts, and 29 clerks and other employees. Thus, in ten years its personnel has increased frorh 10 to 12T, or more than 12 times. Great as this increase has been, however, the Bureau's force is not adequate to meet half the demands made on it for investi- gations along its special lines. It was not a new problem which the Bureau undertook to solve. The study of soils had been carried on by State organizations and foreign governments for nearly a century. Many attempts had been made to classify soils according to the laboratory results obtained in investigations of the chemical composition or the physical properties of the soil, but the problem proved too intricate for solution by 26250—05 laboratory methods alone. Many soil maps had been prepared, but they were based upon the geology of the area and were of little or no use to the farmer. At the time the new Division began its work the futility of former methods of soil classification was beginning to be realized. THE SOIL SURVEY. The original object in the organization of the Division of Soils was to study the relation of the climatic conditions of moisture and tem- perature under the surface of the ground to the local distribution of crops. This work was largely of a technical nature, and involved questions of soil conditions and plant growth with which soil investi- gators all over the world had long wrestled. While the Bureau of Soils is now, and has been from the first, working on these intricate problems, it promptlj7 undertook work of more immediate benefit to the farmer. It saw that differences in the commercial value of land could be detected in the field from the character of the soil and its relation to crops. It believed that if a classification of soils with reference to texture and structure, physiographic position, and crop values were made and the areas of different soils outlined in colors on maps, this would enable a farmer or a prospective purchaser of land in the area to determine at a glance the quality and farming value of any tract of land- Moreover, by carrying into a new area the knowledge of soils and crops gained in former surveys, it could enable the farm- ers of the new area to profit by the experience of those in the areas previously surveyed. This has proved especially valuable in the case of special industries, such as the production of tobacco, fruit, truck, sugar beets, etc. So prompt were the farmers to recognize the value of this survey work, and so great was the demand for surveys all over the country, that the Bureau was compelled, contrary to its previous plans and almost against its will, to abandon certain lines of more technical investigation and devote a large part of its energy to the soil survey work. This work is now being carried on by 20 field parties work- ing in as many States and Territories. A soil part}7 consists generally of two men, who are equipped with a compass, an odometer for meas- uring distances, sometimes with a plane table to make or correct a base map, and with a soil auger to take samples usually to a depth of 3 feet in humid regions and 6 feet in arid regions, but by means of extensions capable of taking borings to a depth of 18 feet. I*arties in arid regions where alkali is likely to be encountered are equipped with a portable outfit of instruments and chemicals for determining in the field the total salt content of the soil, and the chemical compo- sition of the alkali salts and irrigation waters. Selecting some town in the area to be surveyed for its temporary headquarters, the party hires a horse and buggy and carries on its work about as follows: Driving along a road, one or both of the men go out into the fields for a distance of half a mile, more or less, according to the character of the country and the position of other roads, and take frequent borings. They examine the material carefully, noting the texture, whether sand, silt, or clay, the changes which take place at varying depths, the pres- ence of gravel, the drainage conditions, and the character of the crops or native vegetation. If the borings show a sandy loam to a depth of 6 or 8 inches, and below this a loam grading into a clay at a depth of 24 to 30 inches, the soil would probably be called a sandy loam or a loam, according to the general character of the material as a whole. If these conditions were found to prevail over a considerable area, this sandy loam, or loam, would be recognized as a type and a name given it. Moving forward with their work, if the party found that the material changed, either in the surface soil or in the subsoil, sufficiently to influence plant growth, the character of this change would be noted; and if it were of sufficient importance and covered an appreciable area, a new type would be established. The boundary between the two types would then be traced out, the character of the vegetation or crops, and the physiography of the country frequently being important aids in this work. Separate samples of the soil and of the subsoil are sent in to the Bureau's laboratories from a number of borings in each of the soils, the number depending upon the extent and importance of the area or the agricultural problems presented therein. These samples are examined in the laboratories, a mechanical analysis is made to show the grade of material composing the soil, and such chemical work is done as experience may indicate will be of probable value in explain- ing the conditions encountered in the area. During the months that the parties are in the field the}' are careful to observe the character and yield of the crops. They are instructed to obtain all possible information from the farmers as to the methods of cultivation, the relation of the soils to drought and to drainage, and in general to acquire the fullest knowledge of the farming conditions in the area. It is clearly recognized that the climate has much to do with the relation of soils to crops, and for this reason a brief state- ment of the climatic conditions is always given in the reports. It is also recognized that certain economic conditions, frequently local, have a controlling influence upon the relative crop values of soils. The chief among these are the questions of convenience and cost of transportation, the market conditions, and the conditions with respect to labor. These matters are brought out as clearly as possible in the reports of the work. An idea of the growth of the soil survey work may be gained by com- paring the figures for the year 1900 with those for the year 1904. At the close of the fiscal year ended June 30, 1900, the Bureau had mapped 3,486 square miles, or 2,231,040 acres. Four and a half years later, at the close of the calendar year ended December 31, 1904, it had mapped 88,812 square miles, or 56,867,200 acres. This vast area is distributed among the different States and Territories as follows: Location and size of areas surveyed and mapped by the Bureau of Soils to December 31, 1904. State or Territory. Name of area. Size of area. Blount County Sq. miles. 338 509 606 315 621 461 338 762 893 Acres. 216, 320 325,760 323,840 201,600 397, 440 295,040 216,320 487,680 571,520 Total for State... Fort Puyne Huntsville . Lauderdale Countv . . . Macon Countv Mobile . Montgomery County Perry County Sumter County .4,743 3,035,520 Salt River Valley 449 108 340 287,360 69,i20 216,960 Total for State... Solomonsville Yuma . 897 574,080 Arkansas Miller County 626 251 400,640 160,640 Total for State... Stuttgart . 877 561,280 California Bakersfleld 195 628 216 1,084 234 570 924 344 755 259 313 275 87 240 124,800 401,920 138, 240 693, 760 149, 760 364-, 800 591,360 220,160 483,200 165,760 200,320 176,000 55,680 153,600 Total for State... Fresno Hanford Imperial ... Indio Los Angeles Sacramento ... Salinas Valley. .. ... San Bernardino San Gabriel San Jose Santa Ana Stockton Ventura 6,124 3,919,360 Colorado Greeley 687 945 628 439,680 604,800 401, 920 Total for State... Lower Arkansas Valley San Luis Valley 2,260 1,446,400 Connecticut Connecticut Valley . . 505 314 323,200 200,960 Delaware Dover Florida Gadsden Countv. ... 548 485 350,720 310, 400 Total for State. . . Gainesville 1,033 661,120 and size of areas surveyed and mapped by the Bureau of Soils to December 31, 1904 — Continued . State or Territory. Name of area. Size of area. Georgia Bainbridge Sq. miles. 364 346 225 489 186 Acres. 232,960 221, 440 144,000 312, 960 119,040 Total for State... Cobb County Covington Dodge County . . .... Fort Valley 1,610 1,030,400 Idaho Blaekfoot 428 399 308 273, 920 255,360 197,120 Total for State... Boise Le wiston 1,135 726, 400 Illinois Clay County ! 460 491 339 717 1,159 866 650 645 526 294, 400 314,240 216,960 458,880 741, 760 554, 240 416,000 412, 800 336, 640 Total for State... Clinton County Johnson County Knox County McLean County . . . Sangamon County St Clair County Tazewell Count v Winnebago County . . .... 5,853 3,745,920 Indiana • Boonville 264 435 445 387 197 168,960 278,400 284,800 247,680 126, 080 Total for State... Madison County Marshall County Posey County Scott County 1,728 1,105,920 Iowa • Cerro Gordo County 567 440 576 720 362,880 281, 600 368,640 460,800- Total for State... Dubuque Story County .. Tama County 2,303 1,473,920 Kansas Allen County 504 ' 378 335 398 270 465 322,560 241,920 214,400 254, 720 172,800 297,600 Total for State... Brown County Garden City Parsons . . ... Russell Wichita 2,350 1,504,000 Kentucky Mason County 225 280 361 533 144,000 179, 200 231,040 341,120 Total for State... Scott County Union County .. Warren County 1,399 895,360 Louisiana Acadia Parish 636 825 202 410 407, 040 528,000 129,280. 262.400 De Soto Parish Lake Charles . New Orleans... Location and size of areas snrretjed and mapped by the Bureau of Soils to December SI, 1004— Continued. State or Territory. Name of area. Size of area. Louisiana Ouachita Parish Sq. miles. 605 228 Acre*. 387,200 145,920 Total for State... Tangipahoa . . . 2,906 1,859,840 Maryland Calvert Countv . . . 217 376 418 293 480 363 463 138, 880 240, 640 267, 520 187, 520 307,200 232, 320 296, 320 Total for State... Cecil Countv Harford County Kent County St. Mary County . . Worcester Countv 2,610 1,670,400 M assachusetts Connecticut Vallev 809 517, 760 Michigan Allegan Countv 828 282 407 270 307 984 529,920 180,480 260,480 172,800 196,480 630,400 Total for State... Alma Munising Owosso Pontiac . .. ... Saginaw . . . 3,078 1,969,920 Minnesota Marshall 233 149, 120 Mississippi Biloxi 615 737 198 463 656 393, 600 471,680 126, 720 296,320 419,840 Total for State... Jackson McNeill Smedes Yazoo U 2,669 1, 708, 160 Howell Countv 919 620 748 511 605 588,160 396,800 465, 920 327, 040 387, 200 » Total for State... O'Fallon Saline Countv Shelby Countv Webster Countv 3,403 2, 177, 920 Montana Billings 107 68,480 Nebraska Grand Island 446 792 323 285, 4 10 506,880 206,720 Total for State... Kearnev Stanton 1,561 999, 040 New Jersey Salem . . 493 810 315, 520 518, 400 Total for State... Trenton 1,303 833,920 New Mexico Carlsbad 80 49 51,200 31,360 Total for State... Roswell 129 82,660 New York Auburn 461 223 315 295,040 142,720 201.600 Ftigflats Drvden . . . and size of area* surveyed and mapped by the Bureau of Soils to December 31, /— Continued. State or Territory. Name of area. Size of area. New York Long Island . . Sq. miles. 845 515 416 2CO Acres. 540,800 329,600 266,240 166,400 Tolal for Stale... Lyons Syracuse VVestfield . . . T 3,035 1,942,400 North Carolina .. .. Alamance County . .. 365 497 63 897 340 988 497 236- 215 765 190 784 233,600 318, 080 40, 320 574,080 217,600 632, 320 318,080 151,040 , 137,600 489,600 121,600 501,760 • Total for State... Asheville . .... Cary . . Craven • Duplin County Hickory Mount Mitchell Parmele Pasquotank and Perquimans counties Raleigh to Newborn Saluda Statesville 5, 837 3, 735, 680 North Dakota Cando 283 400 314 496 181, 120 • 259, 840 200,960 317, 440 Total for State... Fargo Grand Forks Jamestown .... . . 1,499 959, 360 Ohio Ash tabula 340 472 551 480 403 469 217, 600 302,080 352,640 307, 200 257, 920 300,160 Total for State... Columbus .• Coshocton County Montgomery County Toledo Wtxjster 2,715 1, 737, 600 Oregon Baker City 158 284 101, 120 181,760 Total for State... Salem 442 282,880 Pennsylvania Adams County 534 269 669 278 341,760 172, 160 428,160 177, 920 Total for State... Lancaster Lebanon Lockhaven 1,750 1,120,000 Porto Rico Arecibo to Ponce 330 1,085 211,200 694,400 Rhode Island Rhode Island South Carolina Abbeville. 1,006 515 352 599 486 709 643,840 329, 600 225,280 383,360 311,040 453, 760 Total for State... Campobello Charleston Darlington Lancaster County Orangeburg 3,667 2, 346, 880 South Dakota Brookings 484 309,760 Locution and size of arem sunvi/ed and mnpped l»j lite Bureau of Soils to December 3 1904— Continued. State or Territory. Name of area. Clarksville . Size of area. ."vy. miles. 547 Acres. 350,080 320,640 434, fltt 395,520 281,000 Total for State 501 664 618 Pikeville 440 2, 770 1,772,.SUO Anderson County . . 1,069 681, 160 451,200 540,800 375,300 64,000 63, 3 62, OSO 350, 720 309, 760 177,380 187,000 64,080 Total for State Austin Brazoria . ... S45 Houston County .... 430 Jacksonville :. 100 Lufkin • 99 Nacogdoches .