Department of Soils. 47 



of farmers either at the college or out in the State in agricultural 

 gatherings. This work has been kept distinctly secondary because 

 it greatly interferes with regular University teaching. 



Exhibits of an educational character were made at the State fair 

 and at the Genesee county fair, at both of which special emphasis 

 was put on the need and effects of better soil drainage through the 

 State. 



A large part of the correspondence of the department is of an ex- 

 tension character in that it is the answering of inquiries concerning 

 soil problems. These aggregated several hundred letters during the 

 year. 



(2) Survey. The department feels that the prerequisite to intelli- 

 gent soil investigation on the farms of the State is a knowledge of 

 the general soil conditions as they can be determined by field ex- 

 amination. Not only is the distribution of different soil conditions 

 determined but much information concerning the relation of these 

 soils to crop and farm conditions is secured by such methods, which 

 are absolutely essential to a proper prosecution of practically all 

 other phases of farm and orchard investigation. The relation is 

 even more far-reaching than first thought might indicate. And it is 

 the beginning point and prominent basis for understanding of the 

 so-called " abandoned farm " problem of the State. Therefore, a 

 large part of the extension funds available to the department have 

 been used in this direction. And since the soil distribution and 

 classification is not limited by State lines but is a part of the national 

 domain, and because not only could greater uniformity in method 

 be attained but also because more work for the State could be ac- 

 complished, these funds have been expended in co-operation with 

 the Bureau of Soils of the United States Department of Agriculture, 

 such arrangement having been made with the Secretary of Agricul- 

 ture and the Chief of the Bureau of Soils through the director's 

 office and direction. By this arrangement, the College of Agricul- 

 ture furnishes a man for each man supplied by the Bureau and meets 

 one-half of the field expenses of the party. The selection of areas to 

 be surveyed is largely at the suggestion of the College, and while 

 the reports and maps on such areas surveyed are published by the 

 Bureau, thev are also available for publication by this College. 



During the past season, beginning July i^t. soil surveys on a scale 

 of one inch equal to one mile were in progress in Livingston and 

 Montgomery counties, which have an aggregate area of 1,043 square 

 miles. The College maintained two men in the former area and 

 one in the latter, and on September 30th there had been mapped ap- 



