Mark Baldwin

Report of the Committee on Forest and Organic Soils

The surface accumulation of organic matter, and the mixture of organic and inorganic matter, which appears universally on soils occupied by forests, is a fact of great practical significance especially to the forester or the silviculturist. It is also a fact which cannot be ignored by the taxonomic pedologist, since it is a part of the complete natural soil profile. The terms which ere now in use to describe this part of forest soils are not very clearly defined, or carry quite different implications when used by different incividuals. The need for clearer definitions of old terms or the invention of new terms, is obvious The problem of names and definitions, however, becomes involved immediately with the chemical nature of the organic matter, and with biologic factors. Organic chemists pretty generally and freely admit that the determination of the organic compounds presents a baffling problem, and that satisfactory methods are lacking for accurate exterminations which would be of most practical use to pedologists. While the committee does not believe that it is at all necessary to delay the defining of terms until the organic chemist has solved all of his problems, still it does not feel that it is wise at the present time to offer any definite recommendations as to the particular terms which should be used, but has preferred to list the matter for discussion before the association.