SECTIONAL TRANSACTIONS.—M. 403 
Tuesday, September 11. 
JornT Discussion with Section B (Chemistry, qg.v.) on The chemistry of 
milk (10.0). 
Joint Discussion with Section K (Botany) and Department K* 
(Forestry) on Soil and ecological studies in relation to forestry and 
grazing (10.0) :— 
Dr. W. G. Occ.—/Introduction. 
About four-fifths of the total surface of Scotland consists of uncultivated 
ground. Much of this land on account of altitude and steepness of slope is 
unsuitable for cultivation, but great areas are not being used at present to 
the best advantage. More could be done in the utilisation of such land for 
forestry and grazing purposes, and in recent years increasing attention has 
been given to this work particularly by the Forestry Commission. It is 
important that the improvements should be carried out along the best lines 
and two aims should be kept in view : 
(1) The use of the land for the purpose for which it is best suited. 
(2) The improvement of the land by various methods of treatment at an 
economical cost. 
The soil investigator and the ecologist can render useful assistance in 
attaining these objects. It has been found that a study of the soil profile 
and the vegetation often gives the necessary clues to solving the problems 
encountered. The appearance of the various soil layers gives indications 
as to drainage conditions and fertility. The occurrence of hard pan has a 
direct bearing on the uses to which a soil can be put; and a close con- 
nection has been found between the natural vegetation and the soil type. 
Dr. A. S. Watt.—The ecologist and land utilisation (10.10). 
Dr. A. Muir.—Forest soils (10.30). 
Under the prevailing climatic conditions the predominant feature ofthe 
soil-forming processes is a leaching of mineral substances from the upper 
soil layers, with the subsequent precipitation of some of these in the lower 
layers, the others being completely removed from the soil in the drainage 
water. Where the soil parent material is poor in basic substances, the 
effect of this leaching soon becomes apparent in the upper layers. Such 
soils are known as podzolised soils, their characteristic feature being the 
presence of an ashy grey layer underlying the layer cf organic residues. 
When the soil parent material is rich in bases the effects of leaching are not 
so apparent, and the soil profile is of a more or less uniform colour, This 
same characteristic is often a feature of soils on steep hill slopes. The 
precipitation of the leached substances, especially iron and alumina, leads 
to the formation of a very compact and cemented layer, which sometimes is 
so hard that roots and water fail to pass through. When this happens, 
fundamental changes take place in the soil profile. ‘The layers above the 
hard pan become water-logged ; the lack of air gives rise to reduction pro- 
cesses, and the soil becomes invaded by an inferior type of vegetation. When 
this happens, peat formation sets in. In many soils a high ground water 
level may have the same effect. 
When the soil has already borne a good forest crop, probably very little 
