134 THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



actually realized, but wheu the yield is as low as this the grower should 

 understand that he is not getting the best results from his land and 

 look for the trouble. The price for the last few years has been very 

 close to two cents per pound for first class paddy. 



The cost of leveling, checking and ditching on average good rice land 

 is in the vicinity of $15 per acre. The average cost of raising the crop 

 from cultivation to harvest ranges betwen $25 and $35 an acre. 



The necessity of having clean seed should be impressed on all new 

 planters. There is a weed, locally called "water grass." which is found 

 to a certain extent in all the fields and which should be dug up and 

 removed. It closely resembles the rice plant but is of a slightly lighter 

 color and makes a more rapid growth. If allowed to go to seed it will 

 seriously affect the next season's yield and in two seasons prolmbly 

 render the ground worthless for rice. 



The future of the rice industry seems bright, and a large increase 

 in the acreage seems assured. Properly handled the crop is one of the 

 safest and most certain in the state. The principal points to make 

 sure of are the water supply and the drainage facilities; then, if the 

 ground is prepared in advance and the seeding is done early in the 

 spring, there is no reason why there should be any failures. 



In closing, attention should be called to the splendid work which is 

 being done by the Department of Agriculture on the Rice Experi'ment 

 Station at Biggs. Mr. E. L. Adams, who is in charge of this stati<m, 

 has had a long and varied experience in rice culture, both in the 

 southern states and California. Practical experiments are being made 

 to ,letermine the proper varieties for the different sections, depths of 

 water advisable under different conditions and the proper methods of 

 handling. At present an effort is being made to produce a heavy yield- 

 ing rice which will mature in less time than the present Japanese 

 varieties. A prospective rice grower should visit the station, as he 

 will find nuich to interest and instruct him. 



FRUIT SOILS IN THE SIERRA FOOTHILLS. 



By .1. "W. Nelson,* Associate Profesisor of Soil Technology, University of California, 



Berkeley, California. 



That part of the Sierra foothills included in this discussion extends 

 from the Tehaehapi on the south to Redding on the north, a distance 

 of about 400 miles. The belt averages about 20 miles wide and covers 

 an area of about 5,000,000 acres, or about five per cent of the total area 

 of the state. The elevation ranges from 150 to 3,000 feet above sea level 

 and abcmt one half of the area is too rough and stony for anything 

 except grazing and timber. 



SURFACE FEATURES. 



The to])ography of the belt is varied and consists of a series of low 

 broken hills, small narrow valleys, rounded ridges and moderate to 

 steep slopes along the valley margin. As the elevation increases, the 

 more gentle surface irregularities of the landscape give way to steeply 

 rolling hills, and in many places to deeply dissected canyons and rugged 



♦Address before the State Fruit Growers' Convention, Davis, California, .Tune 1 

 to 6, 1914. 



