Circular No. 64. May, 1916. 



MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION 



AMHERST 



CO-OPERATIVE SOIL STUDIES BY THE AGRICULTURAL 

 EXPERIMENT STATION 



AND THE 



EXTENSION SERVICE 



OF THE 



MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE 



F. W. Morse 



The attitude of the Agricultural Experiment Station toward the 

 examination of miscellaneous soil samples is fully defined in Circular 

 No. 45. There are certain conditions, however, that would make a 

 soil analysis by chemical and mechanical methods, very advantageous. 



This circular is supplementary to Circular No. 45 and describes a 

 plan by which county agents of the Extension Service can co-operate 

 with the Agricultural Experiment Station in making soil examinations 

 more serviceable. 



It is especially desirable to compare the texture and composition 

 of soils of known value for special crops with those of soils believed 

 to have similar possibilities, because the varied surface of our state 

 requires specialization in crops to utilize the land to its capacity. 



The analyses of samples taken from small areas of an acre or less, 

 are of little, if any, practical value to the community unless the fields 

 are known to be typical of larger areas. 



In order to compare and correlate the properties of unknown soils 

 with known types, it will be necessary to have all samples taken by 

 a uniform method, and accompanied by notes describing important 

 field conditions. 



Method of Sampling. 



Use a soil auger for taking samples in all cases where the texture 

 will permit. If the soil should be too dry to adhere to the auger, 

 moisten the soil around the auger before withdrawing it. Make 

 numerous borings in representative spots in the area under examina- 



