F. B. GUTHRIE. LIII. 
analyses, therefore, do not take cognizance of several points 
which are of interest in connection with the topic which 
we are discussing. They have, however, been chosen with 
some care, only those being utilised which are typical of 
large areas, and I think I am justified in submitting them 
to you as representative of the soils met with in the dis- 
tricts from which they have been taken. 
Soil-survey.—In connection with the method of taking 
soil-samples, I should like to refer shortly to the excellent 
work which has been recently started by the Department 
of Agriculture of the United States. I allude to the soil- 
survey undertaken by the Bureau of Soils, a stupendous 
undertaking which it will take generations to complete. 
Three reports have already been published. In 1899, when 
the work was commenced, an area of 1,100 square miles 
was surveyed, the report being contained in a pamphlet of 
about 200 pages with a supplement of eleven coloured maps. 
In 1900, the report covered 473 pages, in addition to 
twenty-four coloured maps, the area surveyed being 4,500 
square miles. In 1901, 10,000 square miles of country 
were surveyed, the report being a volume of 650 pages 
together with a supplement of thirty-one coloured maps. 
The maps are prepared to the scale of one inch to the 
mile. There are two distinct surveys at work, the one 
east and the other west of the Mississippi. The staff 
consists of the chief of the Bureau and six scientific 
officers who are in charge respectively of the two main 
surveys, the laboratory for soil-chemistry and the labor- 
atory for soil-physics, the divisions of soil-management 
and tobacco investigations. There are thirteen assistants, 
each of whom is in charge of a soil-survey party. The 
size of these parties is not stated, but assuming that they 
consist of not less than two in addition to the assistant in 
charge, the total number engaged in this work cannot be 
