Early Soil Physics into the Mid-20th Century

Abstract

The history of soil physics in its earliest manifestations is the history of soil science inasmuch as the earliest scientific observations and measurememts appear generally to be of soil physical properties. In fact, physical properties of soil have been noted in numerous cultural contexts, and it would be difficult to identify at just what point in historical time observations of such properties were sufficiently analytical, or measured with sufficient care, to be referred to as scientific. Hence, the best that can be said is that soil physics began in antiquity. Where and in what early culture it began would be equally difficult to determine and most histories inevitably will bear the mark of the cultural background of the writer. Moreover, the history of soil physics involves innumerable people, of diverse interests and backgrounds, increasing almost unmanageably by the beginning of the 20th century. By mid-century, the beginning of the contemporary period of the author’s professional career, even the subfields of soil physics have become too extensive to cover adequately in a short history. Hence, selection of persons and topics to include becomes increasingly difficult and little attempt is made here at complete and comprehensive coverage, leaving the task to future historians with perspective improved with time. What is covered here must of necessity bear the mark of the writer and his own interests.