fertiliser on samples submitted to me by the Agricultural Department. There is no continuous and methodical system of investigation carried out on behalf of the Department at my office.

9028. You make a regular examination of fertilisers?-- As they are sampled by the inspector under the Act. The inspector of fertilisers takes samples and submits them to me. With the sample is submitted a copy of the registration of the fertiliser showing its guaranteed constituents, and I make analysis to see whether it complies with the guarantee. The sampling has nothing to do with me. The inspector of fertilisers is Mr. Thomson.

9029. It seems incredible that in a State like this the chemistry side of the Agricultural Department should not be followed up. Is that usual?-- I do not think it is. The chemists attached to the Agricultural Department in the other States seem to have very definite functions. One reason for that in this State has probably been the frequent changes that have been made in the organisation and administration of the department. Since I have held my present position there have been constant changes so that no settled policy of scientific investigation appears to have been carried out. I do not wish it to be thought I do not carry out any work for the department. There is a good deal of work done for the department in the way of the analysis of soils, details of which I shall be glad to give. The work is, however, more or less spasmodic. Only occasionally have inquiries been carried out which are based on a systematic method of investigation. From time to time I have been asked to make enquiries (more or less limited) with regard to special subjects. For instance, there was the inquiry into the Esperance land, and I was also asked to make a special report on the Stirling estate. I was asked to undertake an investigation into the possible causes of die-back in fruit trees. There has been no regular examination of the soils of the State. Most of the soils have come in from individual settlers or farmers and have been submitted through the Agricultural Department. One of the greatest disadvantages has been that farmers often submit samples only when they think there is something wrong with the soil. This does not enable one to establish any data as to the regular characteristics of the good soils of the State. Most of the samples I get show that the soils from which they are taken are inferior. There has been nothing in the way of a classification of the soils with a view to their treatment or determining the fertilisation that might be required. That is part of the work of a proper soil survey. I have been urging on the department for 12 years the advisability of introducing something in the nature of a soil survey, but this has not yet been carried out.

9030. By Mr. PAYNTER: Is your department distinct from the Agricultural Department?-- Officially I am under the Mines Department because of my connection with explosives in the mining industry. It is, however, officially laid down that I correspond and communicate direct with any department in the service and there is no hindrance in the way of direct communication or consultation.

9031. By the CHAIRMAN: Can you give us instances of other States of the Commonwealth where there is a systematic soil survey?-- There has been a soil survey in force more or less for some years in Sydney. It was temporarily suspended, owing to the fact that the special officer in charge was going to the Northern Territory. It has lately been revived, and less than six months ago advertisements were published with a view to filling the position of soil surveyor. I have not yet heard whether it has been filled. Whilst I was in Melbourne the question of soil survey came up before the Commonwealth Advisory Council of Science and Industry. Combined representations were made by the Farmers and Settlers' Association and the Institute of Licensed Surveyors in Sydney that the question of soil survey was an important one for that Council to consider. This is a matter which has formed the subject of discussion between that Commonwealth body and the various States. A good deal of information has been brought out as a result of what has been done in New South Wales. I think partly as a result of the representations referred to, New South Wales revived its soil survey. The work done is considered to be of very great use. Mr. Guthrie, the agricultural chemist in New South Wales, is a well known man and has done a great deal of work in regard to making systematic analyses in different areas. The data which has been collected in that State only needs to be brought together to form the basis of a good soil survey. The most classical example of a soil survey is that of the American Department of Agriculture. That is a very extensive and thorough undertaking. It is highly organised and a large sum of money is spent each year on the survey of soils in the United States. The publications alone form a small library, including, as they do, particulars of the different soils and sets of plans of the districts surveyed which are published year by year. The survey that is made is very thorough. It not only embraces a topographical survey and the sampling of the soils, but gives the results of testing the soils, the observation of ground waters, and also voluminous notes, the result of experience as to what these soils will carry, what are the best crops for different districts, and also the whole country is mapped out so that the extent of a certain class of soil is readily seen, and so that one can tell roughly how the soils of one place compare with or correspond to the soils of another. The soils are classified under different names, which at times are somewhat extraordinary. If they were dealing with Western Australian soils a certain type of soil might be called Perth loam or Swan River loam. This classifies the soil for the purpose of the farmer. The similarity between one class of soil and another is also brought out, and an effort is made to correlate the surveys as much as possible, so that the experience gained in one place will be applicable to the soils in another, so far as the climatic conditions will allow.

9032. What has been done in Germany in this respect?-- I do not know so much of what has been done there. In the older settled countries the land is all more or less occupied. The case is different in America where there are large tracts of State-owned country which it is required to settle. The work is of more importance in the case of a country like the United States, because the soil survey before selection is a very important item, and a very valuable help to the settlers. Survey before selection should embody all the information that can be obtained upon the nature of the soil, such as would be derived from a complete survey of the soil.