Ealeigh, May 10, 1911. 



Sir : — Eleven years ago plans were made and put in operation for 

 the systematic investigation of the soils and crops of the State, which 

 included, (1), a snrvey or mapping of the soils to show the location 

 and extent of the different types; (2), the analyses of the soils to 

 determine the amonnt of their important plant food constituents ; and, 

 (3), the conduct on the different soils of field experiments to ascer- 

 tain the fertilizer requirements for most profitable crops and their 

 improvement, and the crops to which they were best adapted. 



This report covers in a preliminary way the work for the moun- 

 tain section of the State. B. W. Kilgore is responsible for the in- 

 auguration, general plans and direction of the work ; the analyses 

 have been made by W. G. Haywood, J. M. Pickel, L. L. Brinkley, 

 E. W. Thornton. W. II. Strowd, J. Q. Jackson and others in the 

 laboratory ; W. E. Hearn and G. M. MacjSTider did a large part of the 

 work in the preparation of the soil maps, and Mr. Hearn has written 

 the description of the soils for this report ; the rest of the report, in 

 the main, has been prepared by E. L. Worthen, who has also con- 

 ducted the field work the past year. 



Similar reports are being prepared for the piedmont and eastern 

 soils. More data is available for these than the mountain soils, and 

 a general or more comprehensive report of the work on all the soils 

 in the State will follow in due time. 



I recommend the publication of this as the May Bulletin. 



Respectfully, 



B. W. Kilgore, 

 Director of Test Farms. 

 To Hon. W. A. Graham, 



Commissioner of Agriculture. 



