STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 185 



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 the deptli of twenty 

 inches only. " It seems to contain no coarse materials whatsoever. 

 The samples sent I 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 lands west, near the footliills, produce the early vegetables sent 

 to San Francisco, 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: 



Insoluble matter 50.78} „. «». 



Soluble silica 17.59 J 



Potash -88 



Soda -17 



Lime -86 



Magnesia 3.05 



Br. o.xide of manganese -07 



Peroxide of iron 4.46 



Alumina 10.81 



Phosphoric acid -09 



Sulphuric acid -02 



Water and organic matter 5.21 



T.ital 99.99 



Humus -85 



Available inorganic -43 



Hygroscopic moisture 7.31 



Absorbed at 12° C. 



This is altogether a "strong" soil, with a high percentage of potash, 

 a good one of lime, a fair one of phosphoric acid and of humus; in 

 fact, considering that the sample was taken to the depth of twenty 

 inches, and that humus rarely reaches beyond twelve, the percentage 

 if given for the soil proper would be one half higher. If kept deeply 

 and thoroughly tilled, it would be a very durable soil, well adapted 

 to most fruits except cherries. Where it is heavier than the sample, 

 the use of lime would doubtless be an advantage in facilitating til- 

 lage. 



CONCERNING SPECIMENS SENT FOR EXAMINATION. 



Many samples of various kinds, forwarded to the Agricultural 

 Department for examination, come unaccomi)anied by any mark or 

 label by which they can at once be identified with those alluded to in 

 letters sent by mail. Sometimes such packages remain untouched for 

 months for want of such identification, and at all times a great deal 

 of unnecessary trouble results from the omission to place full labels 

 with soil bags, etc. 



It is especially requested that every sample sent, of whatever kind, 

 should be fully marked, at least with the name of the locality and 

 sender, besides such numbers or letters as may be placed upon it for 

 reference; and that the express tag should, in every case, bear the 

 name and address of the consignor, in the blank provided for the 

 purpose. 



EXAMINATIONS OF VARIOUS UPLAND SOILS. 



No. 788. — Red subsoil from the foothills near lone, Amador Countrj ; 

 sent in by Thomas S. Crafts, of lone, with request for an opinion as to 

 fitness for fruit culture. The samples sent were the soils and subsoils 



