THE LARGE INCLOSURE. 19 



more abundant supply of uioisturo, accounts for tho more luxuriant 

 voo-otation and ovonlv distril)uto(l o-rnssy covering-. On tho whole tho 

 soil doos not ditlor from that which obtains throughout the entire 

 rooion in similar situations. The area is well drained, but the soil 



to 



softens very much more upon being moistened than would be expected. 

 It is true, however, that it is very seldom that the moisture penetrates 

 to great depths. In Octo))er, 1902, it was with great difficulty that 

 1-inch stakes of redwood or Oregon pine could 1)0 driven into tho 

 ground to a depth of (> inches with an ax, yet, when the heavy rains of 

 November came, these fell down of their own weight and could, be 

 driven into tho ground their entire length by tho pressure of the hand. 



When the fence was built a peculiar condition of soil was observed 

 along the middle of tho northern fence line. The post-hole work was 

 purposely done at a time when the ground was wet, and consequently, 

 casih^ dug over the greater portion of the tract. In the above locality, 

 however, to our astonishment, a heavy rainfall had not penetrated 

 more than 2 or 3 inches, although the soil received the drainage of the 

 entire Box Canyon region. On the greater part of the fence line, 

 however, the winter and spring rains had pcMiotrated to a depth of 2 

 feet or more. This area is known hero as '•'washed country,"" which 

 simply signities that the upper strata of sandy loam has l)een removed, 

 leaving the very closelv packed, nonabsorbont subsoil exposed. 



Underlying portions of the ground is a deposit of caliche, a calcare- 

 ous hardpan, of varial)le thickness. All the arroyos, canyons, and 

 washes are covered with a clean, coarse sand, while the steeper areas 

 are coarse gravel and rocks. The soil partiolos are only slightly 

 w^ashed, as would be expected. Prof. W. P. Blake" considers the 

 caliche to 1)0 derived from long-continued evaporations of subterranean 

 waters raised by capillary action. 



The soil of the general area is derived for the most part from the 

 disintegration of the sfranitic rocks of the Santa Rita Mountain 



to to 



upheaval. 



BRUSH AND TIMBER. 



The greater part of the area is covered with a scattering growth of 

 various shrubs and small trees. Tho northern and western portions 

 contain nuich more shrubbery than the southern and eastern parts. A 

 line drawn from corner L to corner I, figure 1, represents approxi- 

 mately the dividing line between the heavier and lighter brush. Upon 

 the southern half there are large stretches which have practically no 

 brush at all. Along the w^ashes and arroyos, however, there are 

 invariably found numerous shrubs, some of which attain to the dignity 

 of trees, although very scraggy. A close examination of the broad, 



« Transactions American Institute of Mining Engineers, Richmond meeting, Feb- 

 ruary, 1901. . 



