BUREAU OF SOILS. 289 



Much advice and information by correspondence was given during 

 the year by the section of soil information. Many persons contem- 

 phiting the purchase of hind or who have recently acquired land seek 

 information regarding the character of the soils in their prospective 

 or actual holdings, and the kinds of crops which may be most profit- 

 ably produced thereon. The requests for advice by persons desiring 

 to plant gardens have been very numerous. This section has also 

 assisted in the preparation of exhibits to be shown at a number of 

 the more im]:)ortant agricultural fairs. 



Of the institutions of the world concerned with the fundamental 

 and scientific study of the basic agricultural resource of any large 

 area, the Soil Survey of this department is by far the most important. 

 No other nation has undertaken at any time so detailed and at the 

 same time so comprehensive a study of its soils as is now being carried 

 on by the Soil Survey. Its work is scientific in method and geo- 

 graphic in its type, but its results are applicable at once to the prac- 

 tical work of agriculture. It has contributed greatly and is con- 

 tributing to the development of the new science of the soil, a science 

 that stands in intimate association with geology, climatology, and the 

 geograpliic side of biology. It is one among the sciences whose 

 progress has been greatly promoted by'the great geographic extent 

 and wide range of geographic conditions to be found within the 

 bounds of the United States. 



Science has never yet undertaken a detailed formulation of a state- 

 ment showing the relative importance in agricultural production of 

 the various characteristics of the soil. There has been a great deal 

 of discussion regarding fertility, but no careful attempt has been 

 made to determine in detail what are the various factors of fertility 

 or productivity and Avhat is their order of importance. It has not 

 been ])ossible to do this because of the lack, until recently, of any 

 great body of accumulated facts regarding the soils as they occur in 

 their natural habitat, their characteristics, and their relation to agri- 

 cultural production. The Soil Survey is the institution engaged in 

 this study and in the accumulation of this great bocty of facts, and 

 such progress has already been made that at least a preliminary 

 statement may now be formulated from the accumulated results. 

 This is merely one of the many fundamental principles of great prac- 

 tical value for which scientifically gathered facts have been obtained 

 by the Soil Survey. 



Aside from its practical value the Soil Survey as an institution of 

 research is meeting the obligations which every such institution has 

 to advance the sum of human knowledge of facts and principles. The 

 fortunate geographic position, great extent, and Avidelj^ varied con- 

 ditions existing within the United States have permitted the Soil 

 Survey to study the development of soils under a wider range of con- 

 ditions than is possible within the area of any other country of the 

 world. This presents to us an opportunity and places on us an obli- 

 gation. We owe it to ourselves to take advantage of the opportunity 

 and to the scientific world to cultiAate to the greatest extent within 

 our powers the vineyard placed under our care. 



Many attempts have been made at land classification. Practically 

 none of them have been based on the soil, or have even taken the soil 

 into serious consideration, because of the lack until within voi'v recent 

 3'ears of any sj'stematically accumulated body of data on the soil for 



