290 HEARINGS BEFORE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE. 
Mr. Merriam. It has nothing to do with the work of plant indus- 
tries except so far as that in importing crops from foreign countries 
they try to ascertain in which of these regions we have mapped the 
introduced crop will thrive best. In the Division of Soils they deter- 
mine what particular soil is adapted to a particular crop, and the 
recurrence of that soil within the climatic belts fitted for it. give the 
limitations of utility in that direction. As I stated a few moments ago, 
it would not do any good to find a soil in Texas that was there adapted 
to any particular crop, and a repetition of the soil in North Dakota. 
It would not give the same crop in North Dakota as in Texas, because 
they are in different climatic belts—in different life zones. So the 
knowledge of soils is subordinate to a knowledge of climatic belts. It 
is one of the many minor subjects that have no particular bearing on 
one another, although they all fit in together to the advantage of the 
farmer eventually. 
Mr. Henry. I gather from some of the remarks of the gentlemen 
preceding you that these investigations were similar to those they 
werecarrying on. I noticed in the Bureau of Soils that the determina- 
tion of the place where tobacco would grow was similar to what you 
are talking about. 
Mr. Merriam. They can utilize our climatic maps, and by study of 
soils in one of the zones as shown on these maps, you arrive at once at 
the areas where tohacco or any other crop would be likely to do well. 
Mr. Scorr. To what extent have you carried the mapping of these 
belts? 
Mr. Merriam. We have worked in every State and Territory of the 
United States, and also we have done some work in Mexico and in 
Canada, and we are working down in more detail in the Western States. 
Weare going over ground that we went over in a preliminary way. 
in order to enable us to publish this small map, with much more care, 
and are actually defining on a large scale map—for instance, in Cali- 
fornia—on the land-office map, in which the sections are shown, the 
actual boundaries of the life zones as they exist; that that map is of 
practical use to a farmer, wherever his farm is situated. He can look 
on the map and see what he can hope to raise successfully, and what 
he can not, as soon as he locates his place. 
Mr. Scorr. What is the purpose of your extending this work into 
Canada and Mexico? 
Mr. Merriam. To find out where the centers of these areas come 
from, and to find in Mexico particularly crops and natural products 
that are useful in those areas that could be equally useful, the exten- 
sion of those areas in our country in the case of many fiber plants of 
Mexico which will do in Sonorian areas in Mexico and southern Cali- 
fornia. In Canada we have a double purpose. We are doing a great 
deal of work in Alaska, and have been for some years—are there every 
year; and we are trying to carry the belts we take up in Alaska, east 
of the coast ranges, down into Canada, and coordinate and continue 
them with the belts that are known there, to see if really any of the 
lands in Alaska come particularly under the head of agricultural lands; 
whether actually fit for agricultural pursuits, and that range along the 
ee of the coast ranges to the Mackenzie Basin. We have one man up 
there. 
Mr. Scorr. Will you expect to extend these inquiries to South 
America and Europe after you have finished Mexico and Canada? 
