UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. BULLETIN NO. 27. material change. Only 1.7 per cent of sand remained on the sieve with I-56-inch meshes. The analysis of the fine-earth is given in the table, alongside of that of the Napa valley soil, for comparison. Napa Valley Vaca Vallkt Soil— No. 672. Soil— No. 609. [In order to render the results of investigations and experiments conducted by the Agricultural De- partment of the University of California more quick- ly and more generally available than has heretofore been done through the annual or biennial reports, it is proposed to embody hereafter, in the form of "Bulletins," to be issued as often as may seem de- j sirable, reports of results, as well as such other discus- 1 insoluble Matter 77 sions, information or answers to questions as may soluble Silica....".'. s! be of general interest. It is intended to m ike these j Potash bulletins, as a rule, short enough for insertion in the i Soda daily or weekly papers of the State, and proof-slips | Jt"'^® ••. of the same will be regularly mailed to p ii)ers apply- ^o^de of Mansrinese ing therefor. The substance ot these bulletins will | p^^xide of Iron ultimately be embodied in a more complete and con- nected form, in the animal reports of the College ot Agriculture.] Examination of Soils from the Northern Coast Range Region. Valley soil, from the higher ground in the Napa valley, two miles south of St. Helena. A dark-gray loam soil, largely intermixed with 'to be very much alike in all essentials of chem rock fragments (mostly soft yellow sandstone, composition save one. viz., phosphoric! o -f J acid, which is over three tunes as abandant in partly angular bits of shale, both rocks occur- the Napa valley soil as in that of Vacaville, ring on the adjacent hills), and some rounded being quite deficient in the latter. Assuredly, gravel, amounting to 21.7 per cent, of the soil. |bowever, the presence of that essential article There is a change of color to a lighter hue at of plant food would not interfere with the suc- twelve inches, and at from two to two and a- cess of cherries. The difference doubtless de- half feet there underlies a somewhat close and pendf in the main upon two points^ of , . . , c , r which the analyses can say nothing: i^irst, more clayey material, with fewer rock frag- ^^le climate, which cannot be transported or ments. In this respect the land differs from changed; second and probably most essentially, that lying farther south, near Oakville, where the fact that (as has been shown on Mr. the depth of the looser material is greater, and Wheeler's very land) the laying of underdrams loftentimes gravel underlies it at trom four to is very beneficial even to vines m that portion 'five feet; Otherwise the soil is probably sub- of ^^e Napa valley, and therefore, of course. : Alumina. Phosphoric Acid. ' Sulphurio Acid Water and Organic Matter Total Humus Available Inorganic HT^roscop. Moisture Absorbed at 11° O |80.86 12.15 ) '^' ''^ .75 .74 .43 .12 .60 .58 1.33 1.07 .04 .05 6.66 6.01 5.67 6.23 .10 .03 .05 .02 5.85 4.88 100.29 100.14 1.67 1.00 46. .26 4.50 6.07 13.5*0 The table shows that these two soils happen Btantially the same in its chemical nature Soil from Vaca valley, understood to be from the bench land; sent by Mr. D. Ruther- ford, of St. Helena, with this question: " This soil grows apricot-s and cherries to perfection in Vaca valley. What does the soil of this region (presumably such as No. 672 above) need to make it like this." much more needful for cherries. The latter as well as apricots seom to do well, however, in the deeper and naturally well drained soils near Oakville. It is therefore probable that under- drainage, to relieve the subsoil from all stag- nant water, taking even the wettest seasons, would be the measure best calculated to make cherries succeed in the St. Helena soil. Both •ITT1--1 ■ 1 1 J L 1.1 soils alike are rich in potash and lime, with While It IS not always to be expected that abundance of humus in the Napa soil and a good chemical analysis can answer such a question, ^ , j„ ^.^at of Vacaville. B .th also are of the soil sent was subjected to analysis, as no ^^^^ physical constitution, and of easy tillage, sample from Vaca valley had thus tar been re- jj^jt the Vacaville soil will, before long, need ceived. The soil is a grayish-dun, rather sandy ^j^^ phosphate fertilizers, loam, dry lumps crushmg easily with tnej ^ ., , finger; nevertheless, when wetted it shows con- ■ No / /9. - Grdy valley soil from near Win- siderable clay in becoming quite plastic when^efs. county; sent by Mr. J. C. W yer of worked. Of course it is very easily tillable, Winters. The soil as received forms rather and known to be several feet in depth without hard lumus, and should be designated as a clay loam or light adobe, the lumps being barely capable of being crushed between the fingers. Oq wetting, it softens rather slowly, but com- pletelv, and is then evidently readily tillable. Mr. Wyer remarks that it is necessary to har- row this soil very soon after plowing, otherwise it will remain rough for the season. From other samples sent by Mr. Wyer it appears that in some places the surface soil is consider- ably heavier — true gray adobe — but is then un derlaid at about 16 inches depth by a material lighter in color as well as in texture, which then continues to the depth of three feet, aa far as seen. On some of this soil the earliest peaches are produced. At the spot where the sample analyzed was taken, the soil seems to continue the same for three feet, also; but the sample was taken to th« depth of 20 inches only. "Ic seems to contain no coarse materials whatsoever. The samples sent 1 think are a fair average of thousands of acres in this section, but the land seems to change as you go west and north. The lauds west, near the foothills, produce the early vegetables sent to San Fran- cisco, and is lighter, having a reddish, gravelly soil. At the same time it is good grain land; the land north is adobe, but is strong wheat land." The analysis resulted as follows: No. 779— Gray Soa raoM Wintkra. Insoluble Matter fie.7S\~. „ Soluble Silica 17.59) Pota<