Les Henry
This is not a textbook, although parts of the beginning chapters have textbook-like elements. It is a book about soils and water as seen and experienced by the author in 40 years of pounding highways and byways through the prairie provinces, particularly Saskatchewan. The subject matter is selective with no attempt to be comprehensive. Major areas of soil science are left out completely or treated very lightly - soil classification and soil microbiology are two such areas. The omission of such subjects should not be taken as a slight by the author, but a recognition that the author's research over the years was not in those areas. Similarly, the treatments of water deals only with aspects of surface and groundwater that the author encountered in soil salinity research which emphasized the need for interdisciplinary effort. A major objective of this book is to stimulate and encourage more interaction between soil scientists and engineers, particularly hydrogeological engineers. Much of today's earth science research plays lip service to environmental concerns while happily engaged in a narrow field of endeavour that ignores much of the environment. In soil science we have proceeded merrily along, digging holes to a depth of a meter or two, and ignoring the geologic strata and water blow the soil. If nothing else, the author hopes this book encourages soil scientists to dig a little deeper and think a little broader.
Henryâ€™s Handbook of Soil and Water