Department oe Soils. Ixxiii 



of men employed by the Bureau of Soils, and approximately 800 

 square miles, embracing all of Washington county and 200 square 

 miles in Ontario county, a total of 1000 square miles, have been 

 completed. By the close of the field season, it is expected to com- 

 plete the field work for all of Ontario county, 650 square miles, 

 making a total area in the state surveyed this season of 1450 square 

 miles. This last area was transversed by the orchard survey in 

 1908, and the soil survey is designed primarily as a basis for that 

 investigation, although a study of its soil resources is especially 

 desirable, as well, because of its excellent fruit and general farm- 

 ing interests and because of the situation of the State Experiment 

 Station within its borders. The Washington county survey gives 

 us a more comprehensive knowledge of the soils of the Upper 

 Hudson Valley and the relation of the Adirondack Mountain soils 

 to those of New England. 



During the suoimer of 1909 the writer spent several weeks in 

 a reconnoissance survey of the soils of the state and covered about 

 3500 square miles in the counties of Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, 

 Erie and Allegany, in Western New York. The design of this work 

 is to gain a rapid knowledge of the soil resources of the state and 

 their general relations to agricultural development. This knowl- 

 edge serves to connect the several detailed surveys and to insure 

 greater accuracy in the correlation of soil types. This knowledge 

 is also essential in all of the investigations of the agricultural in- 

 stitutions, particularly in the matter of soils and crops. As has 

 been stated, soil conditions must be recognized as the point of 

 departure for all other lines of agricultural betterment. It is 

 expected to push the reconnoissance survey as rapidly as time and 

 resources will permit. 



(b) Drainage. — A State Drainage Association was formed on 

 February 24th through the efforts of this department and now has 

 a membership of about 60 persons. Its efforts in collecting and 

 disseminating information concerning the installation and benefits 

 of farm drainage, together with all those questions concerning wet 

 and swamp land improvement, sources and distribution of drain- 

 age materials and implements, are looked on as a legitimate part 

 of our extension activities. The fundamental importance of this 

 movement is recognized when we remember that there are 2500 

 square miles of absolutly swamp land in the state and at least 

 10,000 square miles additional land on which the installation of a 

 better drainage system would be highly profitable. 



