ment. If he can not be assured of these facts, it remains for him to discover whether 

 the conditions under which he is working are the same as those which are found at 

 the experiment station. 



"The Soil Survey is thus seen to serve not only a local purpose of this kind, but 

 through its general classification of the soils of extensive regions it has frequently 

 occurred that the results secured at a given experiment station become applicable 

 not only within the limits of that State, but are also found to be applicable in other 

 adjoining States, or throughout a considerable region. It thus renders the results of 

 experiments conducted at the various experiment stations applicable throughout a 

 wide range of territory not restricted by State lines." 



The recent work of the American Soil Bureau, E. J. Russell {Jour. Agr. 

 Sci., 1 (1905), No. 3, pp. 327-346, pi. 1, figs. 2).— The more technical work of the 

 Bureau of Soils of this Department, especially as related to soil fertility, soil physics 

 studies, and alkali soils is critically reviewed and some of the practical applications 

 of the results are pointed out. 



Soil investigation and applied soil investigation or technology of soils, E. 

 Ramann [Jour. Landw., 53 1 1905), Xo. 4, pp- 371-374)- — The author argues in favor 

 of the drawing of a clear distinction between soil investigations as an independent 

 subject of scientific inquiry, and the technology of soils, which deals with the appli- 

 cation of the results of soil investigations to agriculture. 



The mineral constituents of the soil solution, F. K. Cameron and J. M. Bell 

 ( U. S. Ihpt. Agr., Bur. Soils Bui. 30, pp. 70, figs. 4). — The nature and purpose of this 

 bulletin is concisely stated by the authors as follows: 



"In order to establish the views and premises that are fundamental for certain 

 researches which the Bureau has been and is now conducting, it has been deemed 

 advisable to bring together the more important data which the publications of other 

 investigators furnish, together with some further experimental results obtained in 

 the laboratories of the Bureau. The literature bearing on this subject is now very 

 voluminous, confusing, and contradictory. It has not been deemed advisable to 

 undertake a complete bibliography, but it is believed that sufficiently numerous cita- 

 tions have been made to give an accurate idea of the present status of the subject, as 

 well as to demonstrate the points which it is sought to establish in the text." 



The bulletin reviews the literature and discusses the general characteristics of soil; 

 the minerals found in soils and their solubility and hydrolysis; solubility of the 

 minerals as affected* by temperature, pressure, carbon dioxid, inorganic acids, organic 

 compounds, and vital agencies; absorption of gases and of solutions (by soil, sand, 

 paper, carbon, silica, kaolin, etc.); chemical reactions at surfaces; and flocculation. 



Studies of the properties of and the phenomena presented by the soil solution are 

 considered of fundamental importance, because previous studies of the Bureau have 

 led to the conclusion that "the growing plant obtains its mineral nutrients directly 

 from the aqueous solution formed by the soil moisture." 



The principal points which it is sought to establish in this bulletin are that as a 

 rule " (1) the soil contains all the common rock-forming minerals. There may be, 

 indeed probably are, extreme cases for which this statement would not be strictly 

 accurate, but it may be regarded as a rule holding quite rigidly for practically all 

 arable soils. It has also been shown that the weight of available evidence justifies 

 the further generalization that — 



" (2) Some, at least, of each mineral species in the soil is presenting surfaces of 

 the mineral as such to the solvent action of the soil water. This being the case it 

 follows that — 



" (3) The minerals of the soil will continue to dissolve. On dissolving the minerals 

 carrying the stronger basic or acidic constituents will be more or less completely 

 hydrolized, and generally the stronger hydrolization product will remain in solution 

 and the weaker one will be more or less completely precipitated. It is thus that the 



