184 



TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



Napa Valley Soil. 

 No. 672. 



Vaca Valley Soil. 

 No. G99. 



Insoluble matter 



Soluble silica 



Potash 



Soda 



Lime 



Magnesia 



Br. oxide of manganese... 



Peroxide of iron 



Alumina 



Phosphoric acid 



Sulphuric acid 



"Water and organic matter. 



Totals 



The table shows that these two soils happen to be very much alike 

 in all essentials of chemical composition save one, viz., phosphoric 

 acid, which is over three times as abundant in the Napa Valley soil 

 as in that of Vacaville, being quite deficient in the latter. Assuredly, 

 however, the presence of that essential article of plant food would 

 not interfere with the success of cherries. The diiTerence doubtless 

 depends in the main upon two points, of which the analyses can say 

 nothing: First, the climate, which cannot be transported or changed; 

 second, and probably most essentially, the fact that (as has been 

 shown on Mr. Wheeler's very land) the laying of underdrains is very 

 beneficial even to vines in that portion of the Napa Valley, and there- 

 fore, of course, much more needful for cherries. The latter, as well 

 as apricots, seem to do w^ell, however, in the deeper and naturally 

 well drained soils near Oakville. It is therefore probable that under- 

 drainage, to relieve the subsoil from all stagnant water, taking even 

 the wettest seasons, would be the measure best calculated to make 

 cherries succeed in the St. Helena soil. Both soils alike are rich in 

 potash and lime, with abundance of humus in the Napa soil and a 

 good supply in that of Vacaville. Both also are of good physical 

 constitution, and of easy tillage. But the Vacaville soil will, before 

 long, need the aid of phosphate fertilizers. 



No. 779. — Gray valley soil, from near Winters, Yolo County; sent 

 by Mr. J. C. Wyer, of Winters. The soil as received forms rather 

 hard lumps, and should be designated as a clay loam or light adobe, 

 the lumps being barely capable of being crushed between the fingers. 

 On wetting, it softens rather slowly, but completely, and is then evi- 

 dently readily tillable. Mr. Wyer remarks that it is necessary to 

 harrow 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 considerably heavier — 

 true gray adobe — but is then underlaid, at about sixteen inches 

 depth, by a material lighter in color as well as in texture, w^hich 

 then continues to the depth of three feet, as far as seen. On some of 



