4 KICE GROWING IN THE SACRAMENTO VALLEY. 



fig. 1.) This soil is of a close, compact structure. When wet it has 

 an exceedingly tenacious and puttylike consistency. During the dry 

 season it breaks at the surface into bloc-ks with deep fissures between 

 them. These blocks upon long exposure are divided and subdivided 

 by smaller fissures until the surface may become a loose, shallow 

 mass of small pieces of the size of peas. In this condition the soil 

 absorbs water readily, which is given up slowly under evaporation. 

 The subsoil, which lies at a depth of approximately 3 feet, is very 

 impervious, though water penetrated it to a depth of 6 inches before 

 the plats were drained. The surface of the plats was nearly level, 

 with just enough slope for good drainage into the narrow sloughs, 

 which are features of the topography of this area of black adobe 

 that may be used for conveying Avater for both drainage and 

 ii*rigation. 



Grain had been grown exclusively upon this land, though it was 

 not under cultivation during the year preceding the tests. The land 

 was plowed in the autumn. The rains of the winter months reduced 

 the clods and left the surface of the soil in a condition that required 

 less work and expense to secure a good seed bed than would have been 

 possible if the entire preparation for planting had been postponed 

 until spring. 



The seed of each variety was planted with a drill to the depth of 

 1^ to 2 inches at the rate of 80 pounds per acre. On account of a 

 lack of moisture in the soil at the time of planting.it became necessary 

 to apply water to germinate the seed. This irrigation is not likely to 

 be required when the planting is done immediately after the latei 

 spring rains or before the end of the rainy season. It would not be 

 advisable to plant early except on well-drained land that had been 

 plowed in the autumn. 



In the first irrigation the water was retained long enough to wet 

 the surface of the soil thoroughly. The second application of water 

 was made when the plants were approximately 3 inches higli, Avhich 

 was sooner than would have been necessary if the soil had not become 

 too compact on the surface when the plats were drained. From this 

 period water was applied every 7 to 10 days to keep the soil moist. 

 After the plants had tillered well the land w^as submerged to a depth 

 of 3 to 5 inches. This submergence was continuous until the grain 

 reached the hard-dough stage. At this stage of maturity the plats 

 were drained for harvest. All varieties were allowed at least 10 days 

 in the shock before they were thrashed. 



From the date of planting until October 1 there was less than 1 

 inch of rain. During the same period the average daily range of 

 temperature varied from 29° in JNIay to 38° in August, with the 

 greatest range occurring in July, August, and September. 



[Cir. 97] 



