EIGHTH DISTRICT AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION. 



447 



Auburn 



Piuo. 



Insoluble matter. | 



Soluble silioa | 



Potash 



Soda 



Lime 



Magnesia 



Peroxide manganese 



Peroxide of iron 



Alumina . 



Phosphoric acid 



Suljihuric acid 



Water and organic matter 



Totals 



Humus 



100.nf)5 

 .514 



Professor Hilgard says of the soil of Auburn, that " it is altogether 

 the best of the foothill soils thus far examined (in 1882), having a 

 large supply of phosphoric acid, with plenty of lime, a fair supply of 

 potash, and a high percentage of humus. 



"The analysis shows good reason for the high estimate in which 

 this region is held for the production of fruits, grapes, etc." 



The soil is a dark orange color, rather light in tillage and pulveru- 

 lent when dry, forming a very fine reddish dust, of considerable 

 repute. 



Of the soil of Pino (now Loomis), taken from the hillside, he writes — 



" It is a reddish gray sandy loam, the sand mostly coarse and con- 

 sisting largely of granitic debris; it should till easily at all times." 



"The analysis shows the soil to contain good percentages of mineral 

 plant food except phosphoric acid, of which the supply is quite small. 

 Compared with the red soil around Auburn, this soil contains only 

 one lifth as much phosphoric acid, somewhat less lime, but nearly 

 twice the amount of potash, a circumstance that with the compara- 

 tively small amount of humus, low retentiveness, but usually con- 

 siderable depth, and a substratum of rotten granite, points to its 

 adaptation to the production of grapes. The fig and olive would also 

 do well on the hillside, while in the valleys where both phosphates 

 and humus are doubtless more abundant, and the soil is more reten- 

 tive, other fruits would thrive. Except as to inferior retentiveness 

 and humus this soil is very similar in composition to that of Vaca 

 A^illey, on which cherries flourish." 



I deem it proper at this point to note what the Professor says as to 

 the defect of our soil. " It is important to note the frequent deficiency 

 in phosphates that characterizes the soils of many regions in the State, 

 and the importance of an adequate supply of phosphatic fertilizers to 

 the continued prosperit}^ of such districts. Wherever the growth 

 languishes, the use of bone meal should be very effective." 



You will perceive that Auburn soil excels the soils of France in 

 phosphoric acid, iron, lime (except the Lafitte soil), and in alumina, 

 the characteristic constituent of clay. 



The defect of both the Auburn and Loomis soils can easily and 

 cheaply be supplied when needed by lime, which is manufactured at 

 your very doors, and by bonemeal. 



I have my hobby like every other man, and it is to see these foot- 

 hills devoted to the culture of grapes. We have been delighted in 



