140 DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS. 



is believed, fully justify the expenditure of the money, as well as the 

 reorganization into a bureau and the increase in the appropriation for 

 the work of the new Bureau of Soils. 



ADDITIONAL ROOM ACQUIRED. 



In my last report I called attention to the impossibility of provid- 

 ing for the work of the Division of Soils without additional room. 

 Congress has accordingly increased the limit for the rent of buildings, 

 and arrangements have been made for the removal of the Division of 

 Vegetable Physiology and Pathology from the adjoining offices, which 

 will then be occupied by the Bureau. While this will provide room 

 for our immediate needs, it has seemed necessary to ask for a further 

 increase in the limit to be paid for rent, as it is likely that larger 

 quarters will be required in the near future. 



CLERICAL WORK. 



The publications of the Division during the fiscal year consisted of 

 two reports, three bulletins, two Yearbook articles, and one miscella- 

 neous paper, aggregating in all 279 pages. The "Report on the field 

 operations of the Division of Soils, 1900" (473 pages), was completed 

 for the press, but the issue, as already explained, has been delayed. 

 This, added to the above, will bring the total up to 752 pages, against 

 558 pages last year. Correspondence has largely increased, and about 

 3,000 replies to letters were sent out. The soil collection was increased 

 by 765 samples during the year, making a total of 5,523 samples, 

 which have all been catalogued; 640 mechanical and 150 chemical 

 analyses were made during the year, and the results catalogued in a 

 convenient form for reference ; 463 photographic negatives were added 

 to the collection, making a total of 831, illustrating the soil condi- 

 tions and problems, all of them having been catalogued. A small 

 library of soil literature maintained by the Division has received 281 

 volumes and pamphlets during the year, which have been classified 

 and catalogued. The library now contains 1,921 books pertaining to 

 soils. The Division now has 2,652 maps of various kinds, which have 

 been catalogued, a part of them as base maps for possible use in the 

 extension of the soil survey, and part of them as records of soil work 

 in this and other countries. 



CONCLUSION. 



In presenting this, the last report of the Division of Soils, together 

 with some of the plans for the new Bureau of Soils, it will be allow- 

 able to point with just pride to the phenomenal growth of the work 

 of soil investigations from its inception six years ago as a subor- 

 dinate division of the Weather Bureau into a bureau of itself, well 

 organized and equipped to carry on the larger sphere of work made 

 possible by the increased appropriation ; also to contemplate with con- 

 siderable satisfaction the results accomplished, especialty in this last 

 year, with a very moderate expenditure of the public funds. The 

 work has received a very general and cordial appreciation, and has 

 met the supreme test of the Department, practical utility and mate- 

 rial benefit to the tiller of the soil. Nor can I conclude without warm 

 words of commendation for my principal assistants and their subor- 

 dinates and an acknowledgment of the zeal and energy with which 

 each one has contributed to the success of the year's work. 



