CHAPTER XVI. 
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF SOILS AND FIGS. 
The following analysis of soils from Smyrna fig districts was made 
at the agricultural department of the University of California, under 
the direction of Prof. E. W. Hilgard, and published in a bulletin of 
the California State Experiment Station: 
Asia Minor. 
A.—Soil. 
Smyrna, | : 
Soil ingredients. sent from | B.—Soil, | oa 
Depart- Erbeyli dis- Addie Ae 
ment of Ag- trict. neice 
riculture, 
Washington. 
Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. 
SUA nsonaALOniaiss-O; mms => 2 Hebe os 5 soveelw neces nbaee 35. 00 1.00 40. 00 
[SEED GEOL EY SoS A SE ee ae eee ae ee 65. 00 99. 00 60.00 
Analysis of fine earth. 
THO LCMIN AU LbOls Steet Nee et cent he es 67.19 76.33 84. 29 
“SCL aIS) SLC Ey = ee eg 7.23 | 5.35 2.46 
74. 42 81.68 86. 85 
LERTTEDSIA (Cl ON os 3k Se a a ee : DD 1.09 .43 
SID UG (NIZE SO) sae ee ES = es ee ee eee nee 12 .19 07 
Lo Haas) (CIO) aces ops ec 4.44 1.96 1.40 
WETS STE) (CUES 0) Re 0 ce 2 ES ee oe ee ee ee 2.29 1.56 ny 
Red oxide of manganese (Mn,Q,) ..-...-.-.-------0------- 01 01 06 
EARORIGeOimnonn(HO;Og) ioc. - cecesn Soon nuuscceedccccceele 5. 22, 6.49 3.42 
PNY BRINE, (ANOS) Oe a ep ne ene aa a 4,21 3.25 3.18 
PmoapHoricneld (PiO,) .......-.-..-0.0.2s 0 37 "29 "30 
SOUT e ACLON (SOR eae se Say 2 iit in Sed fo Gee eee O4 06 . 03 
CADE OO, EXHGl! (O10 5) Vege my = Eee eee ee I ee ee eee 2.65 L005 | Sooo eee 
Wiatemand- organic matter... 2-2 s222-.2-22sesecces cee e es 5.46 | 2.29 3.00 
Bley rel ee ee oer ern eR ee ee at Lh? ak Sete? la 5 99.78 99. 87 99. 91 
USTEDES SS Ba eee eee ah 27 40 
SID 2 socio Sei Sse Se epee aes ae ea 233) 24 .40 
PeOeyPHOSPHOrIC acid. ~ os.) bee. dane cask ne eee ace 05 | 03 . O4 
STIGD, 125 o' ake I eres eee a Sa eee Meese ey 19 | 21 24 
Hygroscopic moisture, absorbed at 15° C____..._.-... ._-- 4.14 1.93 2. 
The soil B is the only one which with a certainty was taken from a 
fig orchard. It consisted of a fine gray alluvial loam, with a great 
quantity of very fine mica, and with no large or coarse grit or rocks, 
almost as light as dust. This soil is remarkable for its quality of 
preserving moisture—a soil very similar to that found in many of 
the California and Arizona bottom lands along rivers and creeks, as, 
for instance, in Kern County in the Weed Patch, along Kern River, 
along Kings and Sacramento rivers, Gila River, etc. The soil of the 
Meander Valley does not bake, but remains light even after wetting. 
It is, however, to be noted that the soil in that valley varies somewhat 
as to texture and capability of preserving moisture, and this more than 
its chemical constituents determines the quality of the figs, atmos- 
pheric conditions being equal. The above reference to the Meander 
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