234 THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



large production and to keep from injuring his soil. My only regret 

 is that neither my time nor my humble powers in the use of words will 

 permit me to make far more elo(|uent my plea for less excessive use of 

 irrigation water, or for the maintenance of all of those other conditions 

 just discussed with you, which are essential to the maintenance of the 

 soil's fertility. 



THE ANALYSIS OF SOILS AS A CRITERION FOR THEIR ADAPTABILITY 



TO CROPS. 



Nine out of ten recjuests which come to my office for information 

 W'ith regard to soils are worded in substance as follows : Will you please 

 analyze this soil and tell me to wdiat crops it is adapted? This is, 

 unfortunately, one of the most persistent current ideas that we have 

 with reference to the powers of soil analysis, and it is as erroneous as 

 it is persistent. We have, I believe, too long allowed such impressions 

 to circulate amongst the general public. It is therefore with particular 

 pleasure that I take occasion to deny that the soil analyst is })assessed 

 of any powers given him by the methods largely in vogue to correlate 

 for practical purposes the chemical or even mechanical composition of 

 soils with their fitness for crops. We, of course, wish that this were 

 so. Nothing would suit us better nor make our task in advising the 

 planting of certain crops on certain land easier, but unfortunately 

 such is not the case. Speaking accurately, with all the force with 

 which true science invests that word, chemical analysis of soils is no 

 criterion as to the adaptability of soils for crops so far as we know. 

 Even mechanical analysis, which does give some idea as to the power 

 of the soil to supply the roots of plants with air, and water, and 

 warmth, is only the crudest kind of an indication of the powers of the 

 soil to produce a crop. Indeed, such services as it may render in that 

 direction are much better accomplished by an ordinary examination 

 of a soil as to its texture and water holding power by the general 

 appearance and fuieness or coarseness of it. As a matter of fact we must 

 say that so far as investigations have gone (and of course future investi- 

 gations may prove the present idea wrong entirely), w^e have no justi- 

 fication for believing, first, that the chemical analysis of soils is any 

 criterion as to their adaptability for crops; secondly, that, des})ite a 

 great amount of work done in many places on the correlation between 

 mechanical composition of soil and its adaptability to crops, mechanical 

 analysis, as such, is neither a practicable nor often reliable method 

 for determining crop adaptability. 



My reasons for making these statements are, it appears to me, the 

 best in the world. What can be stronger in support of such an argu- 

 ment and against the argument which is general that there is specific 

 adaptability of soils for crops based on analysis than the fact that 

 alfalfa, for example, in this State is grown on every conceivable type 

 of soil and grown profitably ; that deciduous fruit trees of all varieties 

 are grown on all tyj^es of soil ; that citrns fruit trees are grown on all 

 tyi)es of soil; that vegetables are produced on all types of soil; that 

 likewise grain can be grown on the heaviest or the lightest of soil and 

 all intermediate types ; and all these successfully, if the soil is properly 

 handled. What stronger argument than this does any one need to 

 indicate to him that, at least so far as onr knowledge has gone (we can 



