THE SOIL. 



16 



Samples Nos. 22949-22950. 



Soil and subsoil of red clay land. Oak and hickory; in cultivation sixty or sev- 

 enty years. 



Samples Nos. 22951-22952. 

 Soil and subsoil of poor sandy soil; in cultivation seventy years. 

 COLLECTION OF THE SAMPLES. 



All the samples of soil were collected by Captain I*iii-se. Tlie fol- 

 loAving directions were sent from this Bureau for secui-ing the soils 

 and subsoils :"• 



Samples of soil are to be taken in the following manner, and the locality should 

 be selected which is t^^'pical of the neighborhood. By means of a spade from 10 

 to 20 pounds of soil should be removed from at least half a dozen different ])oint.s 

 in the field. Select tlKnu so as to have them as nearly typical of the whole field 

 as possible. These samples should l)e put together on a hard, dry floor or oilcloth 

 spread upon the ground, and thoroughly mixed, removing all stones and pebbles, 

 sticks and roots. The residue should then be (luartered and one-quarter saved 

 and the other three-quarters rejected. This quarter should again Ije mixed thor- 

 oughly and again quartered, and this process continued until the sample weighs 

 4 pounds or less. This sample should be placed in a strong cloth bag, sewed up, 

 and the franks I send you securely tied thereto. 



It is important to have also a sample of the subsoil in each localitj'. The sam- 

 ples of the soil are taken to the usual dejith of plowing or to where the change in 

 color of the soil is noticed — say. from 5 to inches, according to circumstances. 

 After the soil is removed from this excavation carefully, a sample of the subsoil 

 should be taken to a depth of from 5 to 7 inches below the soil sample. The mix- 

 ing and quartering of the subsoil should be accomplished in the manner described 

 above. 



In each case the previous history of the field, the character of the crops groA\ni 

 on it. and the kind of fertilization, if any, it has received are to be noted. There 

 should also be given any prominent geological features of the neighborhood, the 

 character of the stones and rocks, character of the water, contour of tlie land. etc. 



ANALYSES OF SOILS. 



Each sample was submitted to two chemical analyses. One, to deter- 

 mine the total quantity of substance soluble in liot concentrated 

 hydrochloric acid, was conducted according- to the methods prescribed 

 by the Association of Official Atjrlcultural Chemists (Bui. 46, pp. 71 

 et seq.). The number of parts of potash and ph()s])horic acid soluble 

 per million in N/200 hydrochloric acid was obtained according to the 

 method of Moore (Journal of the American Chemical Society, vol. 24, 

 No. 1, p. 70). These analyses were made by Mr. C. C. ]\[oore. 



The mechanical analysis of the soils was made according to the 

 method of Osborne (Principles and PracticeofxVgricultural Analysis, 

 vol. 1, X3p. 196 et seq.), by Mr. F. M. Cockrell, under direction of Mr. 

 C. C. Moore 



