SOILS. 1025 



Climatolog'ical atlas of the Russian Empire, Rykat( hkw (All<ix dimatologique 

 lie rEutjiirr ih Riixslc. SI. /'rhrKlnir;/, I'.KK); irr. in Nature [Ijmiiou], Ha {1902), 

 \(>. ir,94, pp. o64, .->.-,.-,). 



Destruction by lightning- in Ontario, 1901, .1. I'.. IIkynolds {Onlnno A<jr. Cnl. 

 and J'hpL Farm Rpl. 1901, pp. J-6). — A PUiuinary of HtatisticH collcctod hy the agri- 

 cnltural colletre relating to loss of life and deHtnution of buildings and stock during 

 the year, with a brief discussion of means of protection of barns from lightning. 



SOILS. 



Lands of the Colorado Delta in the Salton Basin, California, F. J. Snow, 

 E. W. HiLGARD, and G. W. Sn.vw {('ar>f<,vnia Sla. Bvl. 1^0, pp. 51, pi. l,ff/s. 5). — 

 This i.« an account of a study of the soils and agricultural conditions and ])ossibilitie9 

 of that portion of the delta of the Colorado River which slopes toward the north 

 into the Salton Basin or Sink. The area "is to a considerable extent covered with 

 alluvial deposits originally derived from the Colorado River; as is clearly indicated 

 by their nature, as well as by the fact that at times of exceptional high water (such 

 as occurred in 1890) the river overflows into the l)asin through 2 channels, named 

 respectively the Salton and New rivers. The alluvial deposits of the river finally 

 cut off the upper end of the Gulf [of California] so that now a large area of alluvial 

 coinitry, or delta, extends between the Salton Basin and the present head of the 

 (Tulf. As to the thickness of these delta dei^osits, the only evidence as yet available 

 is from a boring at Imperial made to determine the feasibility of obtaining artesian 

 water in this region. This boring was carried to the depth of (585 (?) ft. without 

 penetrating anything different from the various materials found at or near the sur- 

 face, and without finding water. It is thus apparent that the ( Julf was originally of 

 very considerable dei)th." Within this area occur two extreme typical classes of 

 soil, namely, a very hard compact clay and a silt or loam soil. The latter occupies 

 aV)6ut one- fourth of the entire area studied. Between these two extremes occur 

 many transition grades. "The silt soil contains about 60 per cent of silt of medium 

 to coarse grade, which imparts the distinctive character to the soil. It also carries 

 from 10 to 15 per cent of very tine silt, which in some respects might act similarlj'- 

 to clay in respect to capillary i)ower. The soil characterized as clay carries about 

 30 per cent of clay proper, and over 60 per cent of very fine silt; making over 90 per 

 cent of extremely fine matter, which, when compacted (as much of it is), makes a 

 material almost impervious to water." 



Experiments ina<le in long glass tubes showed that "the silt soil became wet to the 

 depth of 3 ft. within 18 hours, while in the case of the clay soil it recjuired 165 days 

 for the water to reach the same depth; a rate entirely prohibitive of successfully 

 handling this soil under its highly saline conditions." 



In tests of the capillary rise of water in the soils it was found that in the case of 

 the silt soils the water rose 2 in. in 7 minutes, 4 in. in 18 minutes, 7 in. in 1 hour, 

 and 10 in. in 1 hour and 43 minutes, "while it took the clay 11 hours and 17 

 minutes to draw the water to a like height, or approximately 10 times as long. 

 This rate, however, diminishes somewhat more rapidly in the silt as the water column 

 ascends, than it does in the clay. The water-holdui^ power is greater by 30 per cent 

 in the case of the clay than in the silt, which might be expected on account of the 

 difference in the nature of the 2 soils." 



The chemical anah'ses of the soils reported show that as a rule their intrinsic fer- 

 tility is high. The percentage of potash is large, "there being nearly four times as 

 much as the average for soils of humid regions," and the supply of phosphoric acid 

 and hnnuis is good. The percentage of lime is high and it is i)resent largely in the 

 form of carbonate. The i>roportion (Tf soluble matter is nmch larger in the clay soil 



