80 NINETEENTH REPORT. 



into the agricultural conditions and possibilities of the region, or, in 

 other words, tends to become a study in rural geography. Accordingly, 

 it must take into account pretty well the entire rural environment, in- 

 cluding not only soils, but surface, drainage, climate, markets, character 

 of population, and stage of development. The Bureau of Soils in its 

 county reports is taking cognizance of a number of factors other than 

 soils. The following notes on their more recent field operations will 

 serve to establisli the present scope of these studies. 



The usual unit of Bureau of Soils reports is the county, and the reports as 

 a rule, are highly standardized. With minor variations, the plan of one county 

 report holds for almost all others. The Soil Survey of Cape Girardeau County, 

 Missouri, maj' serve as a type. It consists of 48 pages and a soil map on the 

 standard scale of one mile to the inch. Almost exactlj' one-half of the text is 

 devoted to the discussion of the properties and uses of soils. The report begins 

 with a formal statement of the location of the county and of the character of 

 the topography, including some indications of its physiographic origin. Perhaps 

 a majority of the reports do not attempt anj' physiographic statement. Drainage 

 conditions, history of settlement, population of the county, and a sketch of the 

 nature of the original vegetation, comprise the other topics which are included 

 under the somewhat ill-defined heading "description of the area." A section on 

 climate, with the usual meteorologic tables, follows. The discussion of agri- 

 cultural practices concludes that part of the report which is given over to topics 

 other than soils. In this particular instance the ratio of the general description 

 to the soils section is unusually high. Usually at least two-thirds and not un- 

 commonly more tiian three-fourths of the total space is given over to soils. The 

 usual order of effectiveness is, soils first, farm practices next, the other topics 

 good to very indifferent. An occasional report is characterized by originality of 

 plan and careful analysis of the economic problems of the district.* Whatever 

 the effectiveness of treatment, an attempt is always made to introduce a state- 

 ment regarding agricultural conditions and opportunities. 



It is recognized therefore, in part at least, that the soil survey is 

 not an end in itself, but a means to a better understanding of the 

 agriculture of a given district. Any modifications of existing procedure 

 which improve this understanding must be considered desirable, whether 

 they are associated with soils or not. In other words, is not the soil 

 survey a preliminary step to a more comprehensive study of farming 

 districts, a study in which the problems of farm production are viewed 

 from various angles ? By expanding some of the lines of inquiry which 

 to date have been of minor significance in soil surveys, restricting some 

 of the technical phases of soil studies, and adding certain new features, 

 the soil survey will readily evolve into an agricultural survey. A 

 proposal for such a broadening of scope is embodied in the following 

 sections, to be organized on a geographic basis. The program as out- 

 lined, in practice would be subject to many modifications. The peculiar 



♦Reports of this type in the 1913 F"ield Operations of tlie Biirean of Soils are those on 

 South-Central Texas and on Stevens County. M'ashinprtoii. 



