BUREAU OF SOILS. 481 



and for agricultural enterprises use the reports of the soil survey 

 as they would use the reports of mining experts as to the value of 

 mining properties for which a loan is desired. In other words, the 

 report of the soil survey has a commercial value in that the owner 

 of the land can more readily raise money on mortgages and a finan- 

 cial institution can more safely loan money on mortgages on the 

 basis of the soil survey than on any other data that can be obtained. 



GRANGES, PRACTICAL AGRICULTURISTS, AND AGRICULTURAL FIRMS, 



The soil surveys are of value to the farmer in many ways. They 

 give him first of all an accurate and imjDartial description of his 

 soils, thus enabling a direct comparison with the soils of other 

 localities. They show what may be expected of the soils when in- 

 telligently cultivated, the proper crops to plant, and the possibilities 

 of adopting on their farms crops and methods of culture that have 

 been successfully inaugurated in other localities with similar soils. 

 They give him an advantage in dealing with other individuals and 

 with real estate companies in the sale of his land. They give him and 

 his sons the advantage of more specific training in the agricultural 

 schools and universities. They give him certain advantages of 

 knowledge in purchasing lands from real estate agents. They give 

 him a basis for consideration from the railroads and business organ- 

 izations, which consideration is often required in the building up of 

 new agricultural enterprises. They give him an advantage in dealing 

 with financial institutions in securing loans, and finally they aid him 

 in securing more intelligent and more competent labor. The sur- 

 veys are also invaluable for anyone selecting a farm in a locality with 

 which he is not personally acquainted. 



The soil survey is of value to agricultural firms in that it gives 

 them a basis for the supply of the proper kind of implements, seeds, 

 and fertilizers. 



PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL LABORATORY INVESTIGATIONS. 



As is usual, the laboratories have made a large number of physical, 

 chemical, and mineralogical analyses. This work has been done not 

 only for other divisions of the Bureau of Soils, but also for other 

 bureaus and departments, and, under certain restrictions, for the 

 public at large. It has included the analysis of muck soils in connec- 

 tion with the reclamation of marsh lands in the East and the analy- 

 sis of local soils and waters in connection with drainage, irrigation, 

 and reclamation in the West. Special attention has been given to 

 mineralogical and physical methods of soil analysis. The mineralogi- 

 cal methods developed in this division have proven so valuable that 

 a bulletin is being prepared describing the application of these 

 methods to soil investigation. A mineralogical examination has been 

 made and the physical characteristics determined of a number of 

 important soil types of this country, A similar work has been done 

 in connection with a number of dune sands from the West, with the 

 object of explaining the formation of certain wind-borne sediments 

 of the plains. 



Special attention has been given to work on the differences that 

 exist between normal soils or soils that, subject to the ordinary 



23165'— AGE 3911 31 



