Excerpt from Soil Conservation Survey Handbook

Classes of land according to use capability are determined wholly on the basis of physical characteristics. Of the land, that is, of the soil and its climatic environment. At least four groups of factors must be considered: (1) Permanence of the soil if cultivated (susceptibility to erosion); (2) productivity of the soil as conditioned by native fertility, capacity for retention and movement of water, salt content, aeration, or other factors; (3) the presence of any factor that would interfere with cultivation, such as stoniness or a hardpan layer; and (4) the climatic environment, particularly temperature and precipita tion.

To aid in the determination of use capability a table (table 2, p. 21) Should be prepared at the beginning of each survey or as soon there after as possible, showing significant variations in the physical factors (soil type, slope, and degree of erosion) such as govern land use capa bility within the prevailing climatic environment. This table is to be initiated by the chief of the survey party, developed in Oooperation with local and regional technicians, and approved by cooperating agencies and by the regional conservator and the inspector. When properly completed, the recommendations for land use capability will, furnish the necessary physical information to serve as a definite basis, ' for soil conservation operations on the land. In those areas where de tailed studies and surveys and work on the land have been carried out, sufficient information may be available to develop the table at the, start of the survey. In all instances the table Should be developed as rapidly as the information can be assembled, and completed before. The survey is finished. After completion of the table the land use. Capability will be designated by the surveyor on the field sheets.

To the planning technician who uses the maps, the classes of land according to use capability will indicate at a glance the maximum in tensity of agricultural use that can be practiced safely, An under standing of the reasons for placing a specific tract in a given class can be gained by examination of the separate factors expressed. In the conservation survey symbol. The technician must then consider, in addition to the inventory of physical resources, the preferences of the farm owner or operator as well as the economic advisability of any system of cropping or any practice recommended.

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