BUREAU OF SOILS. 161 



plished by the stations than by the Department of Agricultnre, for 

 the station forces have a more intimate knowledge of the conditions 

 and of the people, and are, as a rule, in closer touch with the people 

 than is the Department, and with these reports and maps they have 

 the basis for further work in the improvement of the agTicultural con- 

 ditions of the area, upon which they can expend their full energy and 

 all the resources at their command. If the soil survey work is not 

 followed up on these practical lines much of the efficiency and value 

 of the work will surely be lost. 



As pointed out in ni}^ last report, the experience of the men engaged 

 in this work is likely to be invaluable, not only to them, but to the 

 country as well. Spending, as they do, from three to nine months 

 in an area, making a critical stud 3' of the soils, crops, methods of 

 cultivation, and market and transportation facilities, and bringing 

 together this experience from all sections, the men have unusual 

 opportunities for securing a wide knowledge of the agricultural indus- 

 tr}^ of the country and its resources. This is training up a class of 

 men fitted to observe and appreciate resources and advantages that 

 should be of immense value in the further develoi3ment of the agri- 

 cultural interests of the United States as the country becomes more 

 thickly settled and the strife for commercial supremacy becomes 

 greater. As these men become riper in experience and judgment and 

 have a fuller knowledge of the agriculture of the country, they will 

 doubtless be called to positions of trust and responsibility in State 

 organizations and in commercial enterprises in which their experi- 

 ence and ability will be invaluable. This is and should be one of 

 the important functions of the Department, and the influence of the 

 Department will be felt more and more throughout the country as 

 these men are called to such positions. 



PAST AND PROPOSED WORK OF THE BUREAU OF SOILS. 



The statements following show the results that have been accom- 

 plished during the past year and the work that is proposed during the 

 present and the next fiscal year in each of the States'. This is, of 

 course, subject to change as to details as the time approaches for the 

 actual i^rosecution of the work. It is given as the basis for the con- 

 tinuation and extension of the work. 



ALABAMA. 



No work has been done in this State during the past fiscal yeav, but 

 it is proposed this fall to make a soil survey of Perry County, which 

 lies partly in the black calcareous prairie belt and iiartly in the sand 

 region. Two parties will be assigned to this area in October, with the 

 expectation that the whole of the county can be surveyed during the 

 present field season. On the completion of this work, both parties 

 will be transferred to Mobile County to make a soil survej^ of that area, 

 particularly in the interest of the truck growers, and to investigate 

 the adaptation of the soils to tobacco. After this it is contemplated 

 to make a soil survey in Marshall County in the interest of the fruit 

 and tobacco growers and to survej^ Lauderdale County, if possible. 

 In all, it would be advisable to spend nine months in Alabama dur- 

 ing the next field season. 



ARIZONA. 



During the past field season a soil survey was made of the area 

 below Yuma, where the waters of the Colorado River are taken out 

 for irrigation. The whole area covers about 95 square miles, although 



AGR 1902 11 



