"THE VALUE AND UTILIZATION OF SOIL SURVEYS

ByW. H. Stevens (1)

A full quarter of a century has passed since the Bureau ofSoils and some State Experiment Stations began Soil Survey work.This line of soil research has steadily increased in usefulness-and popularity. At the present time it is-the basis of much im-portant work not only by the Bureau but also by a very considerablenumber of our Experiment Stations. It is appropriate, therefore,that the members of this Association should now take stock ofwhat has been accomplished and pass judgment on the stewardshipof those in charge of the work.

It is not my purpose to take up a statistical study of soilsurveys in this country but to enter at once upon a brief reportof the development and status of the work in Iowa and make abrief statement concerning its value and utilization. It isworthy of note in this connection that the survey program in Iowaincludes a larger group of activities than are carried on in manystates, such for example as experiment fields pot culture studies,chemical analyses and,, recommendations regarding the fertilizationand utilization of the more important soil types. All of theselines of work combine to make up the Iowa program.

This survey has already demonstrated its value in many im-portant fields. A few illustrations are given in the followingparagraphs; •

1. Soil Management programs. •

This survey has made possible the Iowa System of Soil Manage-ment which shows definitely the way in which the fertility of thesoils of the state may be built up and maintained, maximum cropyields secured and the quality of crops greatly improved. It hasbeen possible to develop this system of soil management becausecertain phases of the survey have provided the staff with neededdata concerning the location and distribution of the soil typesof the State and the chemical and physical characteristics ofthese types. With this information at hand it was possible to

(1) Director, Iowa Soil Survey, Iowa Agricultural Experiment• Station. . . . • • • • • . - • • . . ' • • . . . . . . . . .

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locate '.soil' experiment, fields, on definite, sail types and inauguratesystems of fertilizer studies that have yielded data of the great-est value relative to the, plant food, lime and organic matter re-quirements of Iowa soils. The results secured from our soil ex-periment fields are. of the greatest economic value to Iowa agri-cultures and are slowly but surely and fundamentally changingsoil management practices' in all sections of the state. It isimpossible to, estimate the- value- 'of a1 sound soil. • management pro-gram when the agriculture .of a whole state. may be affected "there-by- and it- is certainly true .that a.state wide soil survey. ;.shouldserve in a most potent way 'as a foundation on which . - to .bui ld .Soi1 rnanagement practices which are sound profitable. and enduring.

The writer Relieves that no. 'survey is fully .developed. 'andthoroughly useful if it fails to have a profound effect upon thecrop production program of the region covered by the survey. Thispoint is . emphas i ze here because it seems certain that a larger"development in recent - years > of . Soil."management.; studies and practicesas an integral part of soil surveys s .would: have aided in warding

..off some of the heavy cuts that have been made in.- state appropria--tions for survey work and would certaintly have made..- it easier tosecure. federal approriation for. .the. Bureau of Soils. • .••• -

• -2» Soil and; Land Valuation . short

Our experience, .based on four annual Land Valuation ..courses ,contacts with scores of appraisers and conferences with a largenumber of • officials- - w h o -are' 'responsible for., loans -on farm lands }

• brings the conviction "that one Of-the most viftal' factors inmortgr.ge lending is the employing of better trained appraisers andtraining present appraisers more carefully". A careful study ofthe whole problem of the better preparation of appraisers- for theirfundamentally important work leads to the conclusion that LandValuation Short Courses, that interpret- and make available thefinding's of soil surveys , , are almost. •Certainly .the most. useful andefficient agencies that can -be. -set up. to provide the .trainingneeded by appraisers: vind th'eir' 'associates.

The work offered at the .1928 course at times was based almostWholly on the.soil survey .program of the state and may be -used toillustrate the important role .played .by-:.the ••survey' in-meeting the

•-needs--of »'a''vs'ry-;i'ti"ge--''.g-Pbu'p;"of"-people engaged in the farm loan••business

1. Field Characteristics of

From the very first the appraisers who have attended the Areasmeetings insisted that they needed and wanted a large .amount ofelementary instruction regarding the field characteristics of soilswith particular reference to texture, structure, color, plasticity 3

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plant food content and the influence of these factors on thewater-holding capacity, tilth and fertility ,or crop-producingpowers of soils. Studied along these lines have been stressed.

2. Study of Soil Types and Surveys

A special effort has been made to set forth clearly thefacts about the value of the soil surveys and careful instructionhas been giveri in the use of the maps and accompanying descriptionsof the various types. Many appraisers and loan company officialshave stated that they have found this part of the short course workof special value and that they daily use our maps and reports inthe field and office.

About a year ago "ah official of a large insurance company,in charge of farm loans, visited our. office. Pie said he. madelarge use of the; Iowa soil maps but now.? needed a list of the soiltypes of the state that classified the various soils as "good","medium" and "poor", A grouping of Iowa soils was made on thisbasis and the results were presented at the Short Course in May •of this year. This part of the program was of special interestand illustrates at least one way in which, an important phase of asoil survey program may meet the needs' of farm loam people.

3. .Field.. Trips

"A field "trip constitutes one of the high lights of every IowaShort Course. If affords an unequaled opportunity to drive homesome important' lessons about .the soils that have been studied dur-.ing the progress of the survey. ; .

Such a field trip makes it possible to show appraisers various'soil types under actual field conditions 5 to call attention totheir more important characteristics and to point how each of theseinfluences the crop-producing power and loan value, of .each typeThis feature of the work is of special value, because it. is im-possible to get an accurate understanding of soil types from alaboratory study.

Field Strips also.give appraisers an exceptional opportunity.to secure some excellent training in actual field work with orwithout the use of a score card. ' A card has sometimes' been used'at Ames which was designed to call the appraisers' attention tothe important points about soils that should be considered in afield inspection* . •

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4. Soil Management Programs

The 1928 Short Course emphasized the fact that appraiserscan secure a valuable fund of information concerning soils andappraisal values from a study of soil fertility problems and soilmanagement programs that deplete.or, build up the crop-producingpower of soils.

This phase of the work, gives the staff an opportunity topresent valuable data from soil experiment,fields that show do-finitely the extent to which soil management of the right typebuilds up fertility,, increases crop yields and stabilizes theloan value of, the..land. The writer .emphasizes this point of

. soil, management.,in .relation to . loans, because we believe the timeis here when .loan companies.should rank.two farms, located on thesame soil type,' very •differently if widely varying soil manage-ment practices, have been followed, one.good, the other bad.

5. Soils; Their Origin and Characteristics -

••' . . Without 'doubt one of the most popular} interesting and-,valuable short, course subjects is that dealing with the originand characteristics of soils. An accurate soil map of the stateon which is shown the. principal soil areas and the distributionof the, more important soil, types is absolutely essential for thispurpose. With this map the instructor can easily point out thestriking variations in the soils of the area and call attention tothe outstanding characteristics of each type that have an importantbearing on loan values. An appraiser wHo is well trained alongthese lines has a working knowledge of soils that is priceless,lt enables him to appraise soils with'"confidence and accuracy.•The great. value of this type of training was strikingly revealedabout two years ago. The manager of;..the farm loan department of.one, of'the., largest, life insurance, companies of,the U.S. made atrip to Ames for a conference regarding, the soils of lowa withspecial reference to farm loans. Our soil map Was placed on the

.desk.. A certain area was pointed out and the statement was madeby a member, of the Soils staff that some of the oils thereinwere not very productive, and called for special 'attention from aloan standpoint. Yes, the insurance company official said, wehave noted that .fact5 we make few or no. loan's in that area.' Theconference ,proceeded and with the same results' in every similarcase. We scarcely need add .that .the company that this man re-presents has one of the finest farm loan records in the' country.

'The fact that Land Valuation Short Courses, which .are basedalmost entirely on soil survey programs,' have come in recent yearsto hold, such a commanding place% in the field of business."proves that

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the modern comprehensive.soil survey is the solid foundation thatunderlies much, of the most useful infomation'about soils that is'.passed on to business men, .and farmers alike.

•3. Basis of Extension Work in Soils

A comprehensive soil survey provides: (l) A detailed inventoryof the soil, resources of an area; (2) A practical- and economicallysound soil management program}, (3) Description of. soil types withspecial reference to physical characteristics, plant food contentand crop adaptations.; (4) Definite facts of special value to farm-ers, land seekers, engineers and, manufactures., county agriculturalagents, land appraisers and experiment station workers. This pro-gram is so comprehensive and so decidedly worth while that a hostof farmers and county agents now appreciate, in a large way, thevalue of the soil survey. As a result of this attitude the Iowasoils Extension staff (and no doubt the same 'is true in otherstates-) 'is swamped with the demands made upon them for soil surveyfollow-up meetings, conferences, field demonstrations and other •extension activities. It is doubtful if any ether expression re-garding the value and usefulness of soil surveys is as significantas this action on the part of large.groups of farmers and agents.One phase of our extension worn with farmers is of special in-terest. During each of the past four or five years, the farmersin 15 or 20 counties, have filed requests for a series of one-weekconferences known as soil survey follow-up meetings. Two or threetownship meetings are held each day. Soil survey reports are placedin the hands of the fanners. The extension worker then refers tothe soil map of the county and gives the farmers instruction in•its use. They are taught how to locate their farms on the map andidentify their soil types. This is followed by an extended dis-cussion of the various soils in the county, with special referenceto their characteristics and fertilizer needs as revealed by thesoil experiment field records. Meetings of this kind arouse akeen interest among farmers in the survey. But of greater im-portance is the fact that the farmers come to look upon the surveyas a real and concrete enterprise; a tangible thing that can beused for reference on practically all soils problems, that pointsthe way to the solution of such problems and makes possible the •production of crops of better quality at a lower cost. Soil sur-veys are relatively expensive, but any survey of this type thatactually reaches thousands of individual farmers thru follow-upmeetings or other agencies and melds their soil management practices,is worth more than it's cost and will continue to pay high divi-dends for all time.

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The fact has been emphasized in this "brief, review that atleast one balanced soil survey program has demonstrated its valueto business and agriculture thru important contributions such assoil management programs, land valuation, .short courses and ex-tension work in soils. The records made in recent years by thereally ;worth while soil survey enterprises of this country arelargely records of achievement in lines of work that are thevery basis of a profitable and enduring agriculture.. Recordssuch as these justify the hope that many of our agriculturalcolleges and experiment stations will soon be moved to inauguratestrong soil survey programs and that, others will extend the scopeof the-work now under-way-

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