REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF THE BUREAU OF SOILS. 



U. S. Department of Agriculture, 



Bureau of Soils, 

 Washington, D. C, November 26, 1910. 

 Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith a report covering the 

 operations of the Bureau of Soils for the fiscal year ended June 30, 

 1910. 



Respectfully, Miltox Whitney, 



Hon. James Wilson, 



Secretary of Agriculture. 



Ch'^^f of Bureau. 



PROGRESS OF THE SOIL SURVEY. 

 THE year's work. 



Work was continued during the year in both detailed and recon- 

 noissance surveys, and areas completed or begun in 26 difTerent 

 States, comprising 59 areas. 



Cooperation was continued with state authorities, and soil surveys 

 were assigned in cooperating ^States after consultation with those 

 interested and distributed, as far as possible, to meet the urgent 

 agricultural needs of the State as expressed by those authorities. 



During the fiscal year a total area of 22,762 square miles was 

 covered by detailed soil surveys and 79,108 square miles by recon- 

 noissance surveys. 



The detailed surveys are conducted on the scale of 1 inch ec[uals 

 1 mile, and tiie total area covered to July 1. 1910, is 204,276 square 

 miles, or 1 30,736,640 acres. 



The results of the reconnoissance surveys are shown on small-scale 

 maps, and represent the more important facts relating to the soils, 

 their character, distribution, surface features, etc., while other infor- 

 mation necessaiy for the guidance of settlers in the location of new 

 homes is included in the accompanying reports. The area recon- 

 noissanced to July 1, 1910, was 155,288 square miles, or 99,384,320 

 acres. 



In the sparsely settled regions, or regions of rather uniform soil 

 conditions, the reconnoissance work will su|)ply the information 

 ncochMl for many years to come, or until the country becomes more 

 thickly settled and more intensive agriculture becomes necessaiy. 

 C\)inl)iuiug the area covered by the two classes of survey, it is seen 

 that to July 1, 1910, there had been surveyed and mapped in the 

 United States 359,564 square miles, or 230,120,960 acres. 



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