102 REPOET OF OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



CALIFORNIA. 

 Agricultural Experiment Station of the University of California, Berkeley. 



E. J. WiCKSoN, A. M., Director. 



During the year the station came into possession of the new farm at 

 Fresno, known as the Kearney tract, which inchides 5,400 acres with 

 fine buildings, and is vahied at about $1,000,000. Some experiments 

 were inaugurated there. The branch station at Tulare was discon- 

 tinued, temporarily at least, in January, 1910. Preliminary work, 

 for which a State appropriation of $6,000 was available for the 

 biennium, was actively carried on in different parts of Imperial Val- 

 ley. The studies at the laboratory at Whittier, near Los Angeles, 

 were continued as a regular part of the station's activity, and con- 

 siderable field work was done in other sections of the State. On the 

 Davis farm a horse barn, sheep barn, horticultural building, veteri- 

 nary clinic, poultry plant, and an addition to the seed house were 

 built during the year. The forestry stations at Santa Monica and 

 Chico are conducted with a grant of $1,200 for each station, which 

 is inadequate for efficient UTaintenance. 



Satisfactory progress was made in the Adams-fund work in 

 general. The study of the relation of marly soils and of lime to 

 chlorosis of citrus fruits seems to ha^-e indicated that no relation ex- 

 ists between lime and chlorosis, but that the marl layer, through its 

 effect on water conditions, may influence the prevalence of chlorosis. 

 It was found in making excavations under the trees for the purpose 

 of getting the profile of the marl bed that the injury from chlorosis 

 was aj^parently greatest in the depressions. The project on the 

 toleration of alkali was about completed during the year. The work 

 embraced a study of tolerance by individual plants and by varieties, 

 and special attention was given during the past season to eucalyptus 

 trees. 



In the study of soil bacteria under arid coiiditions the effects of 

 various salts of the soil in relation to bacteria were observed, and the 

 application of certain salts to overcome the toxic effect of alkali on 

 both bacteria and plants as a practical method of treatment was con- 

 sidered. The study of soil columns in connection with this work re- 

 vealed the fact that nitrifying bacteria are found down to a depth of 

 12 feet, while in humid soils they are mostly in the first -4 or G inches. 



The project on environment in relation to gluten content of cereals 

 was transferred from Ceres and Tulare to Davis and Fresno. The 

 soil from Kansas gave no special result, indicating that the soil is 

 not a factor in determining the gluten content. Hardness and high 

 gluten content are apparently due to climatic influence. On the 

 same soil the gluten has been found to vary a good deal from year 

 to year, owing evidently to the time and quantity of rainfall. The 



