UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. AGRICUL1URAL EXPERIMENT STATION. BULLETIN NO. 36. [In order to render the results of investigation- and experiments conducted by the Agricultural Des 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 olten as may seem de- sirable, reports of results, as well as such other discus- sions, information or answers to questions as may be of general interest. It is intended to make these bulletins, as a rule, short enough for insertion in the daily or weekly papers of the State, and proof-slips of the same will be regularly mailed to papers apply- ing therefor. The substance ot these bulletins will ultimately be embodied in a more complete and con- nected form, in the annual reports of the College of Agriculture.] Examinations of Soils and Subsoils. No. 859. Alkali soil from PJast Park, Sacra- mento city, taken and sent by Mr. Jas. Rutter of Florin, Sacramento county, together with a sample of the ordinary soil of the region, with the query whether the alkali soil is so consti- tuted that by a free or moderate use of the same on the other it will act as a fertilizer, or other- wise beneficially, especially with reference to the production of grapes. The alkali soil is a buff- colored, rather sandy loam, contains roots and stems of "alkali grass." It yields to water 2.88 per cent of saline matters, which on evaporation aud igni- tion of the residue give the following result: Per cent. Again soluble in water 76.2 Insoluble 9.7 Organic matter and water 14.1 The soluble part, forming 2.2 per cent of the soil, is composed as follows: Chloride of sodium 68,73 Carbonate of soda 22.49 Sulphate of soda 8.82 100.00 The insoluble part being .31 per cent of the soil: Carbonate of lime 7.92 Carbonate of magnesia 34.49 Gypsum (sulphate of lime) 4.29 Iron oxide and some clay 45.05 Silica 8 - 25 100.00 According to this analysis, the soil sample contained in its permanently soluble portion only salts of sodium, none of which can be considered as being of any material value to vegetation; the carbonate being, on the contrary, an injuri- ous ingredient, and present to the extent of over seven-tenths of one per cent. Only traces of potash and phosphoric acid exist in this solu- ble part; and the lime the insoluble portion carries with it would be insignificant. Tnus it could not be beneficial to any soil to which it should be applied as fertilizer. On the contrary, in order to destroy the injurious carbonate of soda, the Sacramento alkali soil should be treated with a proper dose of iaud plaster, which would transform the carbonate into the relatively innocent sulphate, or Glauber's salt. Vineyard soils from Mr. J. H. Drummond's place, Gien Ellen, Sonoma county. Mr. Drum- mond's vineyard lies near the mouth of Nun's canyon, a deep and narrow valley cut into the range separating Napa and Sonoma valleys; and appareatly the three soils sampled by Mr. Druinuiond are representatives of a considerable belt of foot hill land lying along the b*se or the range on the Sonoma side. The visible rocks of the region are partly ferrugi- nous shale ^ or shaly sandstones, evidently composed in part of the debris of volcanic tufas or breccias, which themselves mostly form the country rock; their exact relation to the shales it is not easy to observe. While in the General and higher parts of the range the soils are inclined to be heavy and clayey, as ex emplitied in soil No. 799, heretofore examined, (see bulletin No. 24, or report for 1884, p. 52), and of a ^.ray tint, those of the foot-hills on the Sonoma side are often of a gUring orange-red, and in texture rather light loams. On the lower slopes the color is less intense, and in the undu latiug lauds forming the eastern valley slope near Nun's canyon, the color is modified into a "sienna" brown tint, becoming a deep chocolate brown when wet. The latter class of land?, represented by No. S02 below, is heavier than the foot hill lands proper, and dry clods cannot be crushed between the ringers; while this can easily be done with the re i hill soils. All con- tain a certain proportion of gravel, or rock fragments more or less rounded, though not as abundantly as in the Napa valley near Oakville and Rutherford. The following table gives the results of the analysis of the two chief varieties just referred to. 4- No. 805. "Hill soil taken about 100 feet above the valley to the depth of one foot; southern exposure. Land formerly thickly covered with black oak trees and poison oak; also a li tie fern. Many boulders were taken from this hill." This soil, a glaring red loam, is underlaid at the depth of from 12 to 30 inches by similar material, gradually becoming a little lighter tinted and more clayey. Below this, pebbles are found; or at times, a subsoil of decomposed tufaceous rock is reached at vary- ing depths, while sometimes the latter crops out on the surface. No. 802 e "A sienna-brown, rather clayey loam, from the valley slope or lower vineyard, where the newly-imported grape varieties (Cabernet Sauvigon, etc.) were grown." No per- ceptible change of nature or tint to three feet, the substratum below that depth gradually be- ! coming more reddish and lighter in texture, be j yond the depth of four feet. JNo. 805 No. 802 Hill Soil. Valley Soil. Coarse Material 11.0 12.7 Fine Earth 89.0 87.3 Insoluble Matter 40 . 33 59 . 26| Soluble Silica 15.19 9.33 Potash 45 .32! Soda 38 .36 Lime 53 6S Magnesia 33 .44 B»-. Oxide of Manganese .. . .09 .10 Peroxide of Iron 9.15 5.85 Alumina 24.60 16.45 Phosphoric Acid .06 .09 Sulphuric Acid 08 .09 Water and Organic Matter. 9 . 00 7 . 59 Total 100.19 99.53 Humus 1.65 1.78 Total Available Inorganic ... 52 .49 Available Phosphoric Acid . .04 .05 Hygrosc. p. Moisture 11.44 8.28 Absorbed an. . . .15.5° C. 15° C. A general fea ure of interest shown in thesd analyses is that in these soils, as in nearly all others thus far examined from districts where volcanic rocks prevail, there is a large proportion of dissolved silica and of soda, indicating the presence of a large amount of easily decompos- ible silicates, in which doubtless the greater part of the potash, soda, and perhaps lime, shown in the table are concerned, since water dissolves no sodium compounds (alkali) from the soils. The same indication is given by the extraordinary quantity of alumina dissolved in the analysis ouc of soils showing only a moder- ate amount of clay. While therefore tne pot- ash percentages of both soils are not as high as is usual in the Napa valley, yet what there is can doubtless be made currently available by the use of lime, and thus supply the demands of grape culture for a long time after the soils have fallen off from their natural yield. As regards phosphates, the supply in the valley soil is very fair, and that of the hill soil above deficiency; but the determination of the "avail- able phosphoric acid" shows that very unusual 'y high proportions of the total supply or both are in an available condition. In No. 805, two- thirds, and in No. 802 over one-half. For pres- ent purposes, therefore, this important sub stance may be considered as being in full supply in both soils. Both, also, have a good supply of humus — unexpectedly so in the hill soil, whose high retentivent-ss or moisture is, how^i ever, obviously due to the large proportion of iron. Considering their origin, dep h, "lay" and physical as well as chemical nature, these soiU are errtainly bcSu adapted to the fruit culture- to which they are now being mainly devoted; which utilizes the depths as well as the sur-' face of the land, and (especially in the case of the vine and olive) draws but lightly upon the soil's resources in the commercial products, whose high quality will compensate for a relatively lower production. Comparison with the soils previously examined, from tho west side of the valley, on Hooper's place (sea K uk for 1S82, P. 48), seem to show that thera both the valley and hill soils are richer in phos- phoric acid as *vell as in lime, owing, doubtless, to their partial derivation from the marly rocks of the territory. Gitn Ellen, therefore, would appear adapted to the production of the rela-' tively lighter ami more highly-flavored wines. No. 813. Under -subsoil from near Montecito, Santa Barbara county; sent by Mr. H. C. Ford, president of the Santa Barbara Horticultural Society, for examination as to its probable quality as a subsoil for fruit tree3. The sample was taken at the depth of lour feet and was penetiated by vigorous roots of an orange tree that had been killed by a gopher; and others growing around it in the -aine soil were in a flourishing condition. "The question with us ail here is, can this subsoil furnish food for trees, and if so, in what manner can it be best fed to them?" The sample sent consists of fragments of soft and easily brok* n sandstone, mingled with a friable mass resulting from the disintegration of of the rock. In such a mass high percentages of plant food cannot be looked for; the question is only whether it is totally barren, as. is often the case, or may be considered as contributing in any material degree to the nourishment of the trees. Th^ fact mentioned in the letter, that the roots found were covered with small ones penetrating fissures, points to the actual nourishment of the roots by the rock. This supposition is fully borne out by the analysis, which resulted as follows: Sandstone Under-Subsoil. Coarse sand 1.6 Fine earth 98.4 Insoluble residue. 81.830 Potash 412 Soda 311 Lime 326 Iron and alumina 12.382 Phosphoric acid 034 As a surface soil such a material wouli, on account of the low percentage of phosphoric acid, be accounted but of moderate promise and in imminent need of having its phosphates sup- plemented by fertilization. As the surface soil of the region is, however, known to be well provided in this respect, and it is the higher roots that chiefly supply the mineral food to the tree, a subsoil like this lying at four ftet depth and containing fair supplies of pota-h and lime, is a good deal better than many found elsewhere in corresponding pesitions. It is not, however, a marl; and the best mode of utilizing it is to leave it just where it is, to be extracted by the roots of fruit trees and vines. Berkeley, April 10, 1885. E. W. Hilgard.