Toponymy and soil nomenclature in the Netherlands

Local names have been used for centuries to name land, plots or sites and soils in the Netherlands [Vlam (1948)]. Most of these names can still be found on old topographic maps. The naming of land on the farm was similar to the custom of naming cattle, as the farmer knew his plots in great detail. Unfortunately, neither oral nor written traditions exist today concerning the use of specific names to identify soils and/or their properties. Only in rare cases could examples be found. The custom to name land decreased after the introduction of the land registry which introduced a numerical classification rather than names [Vlam (1951)]. In addition, extensive re-allocation works creating ever-bigger parcels of land caused the disappearance of many names. The introduction of the soil names at the Subgroup level of the Dutch Soil Classification System is seen as a valuable combination between the scientific name and the name of the locality or field, where a particular soil is well represented [Boor en Spade XV (1966) 25]. Examples are given of the development and names of two farming systems in different geographic regions in the Netherlands.

The soil/land management practices were often governed by the biophysical position of the farms. On the higher sandy areas soil fertility was a major constraint for sustainable farming, whereas on the lower, clayey regions soil workability and water management were important issues. The farmers applied their local knowledge of the soil/land systems consistently and in a holistic manner. Their approach illustrates the influence of ethnopedology as described by Barrera-Bassols and Zinck [Geoderma (2002) this issue] on the development of modern agriculture in the Netherlands.