CHAPTER III 



THE FRUIT SOILS OF CALIFORNIA 



The favoring characteristics of the California climates, which have 

 been described, find their fitting complement in the adaptation of the 

 California soils to the perfect development of fruit-bearing tree and 

 vine. In their wonderful variety and consequent great range of 

 special adaptations within narrow limits of area our soils also resemble 

 our climates. As a man may sometimes find within the boundaries of 

 an ordinary-sized farm such a difference of atmospheric conditions 

 that the same fruit will thrive in one spot and not in another, so he 

 may find differences in soil which will tend to produce the same results. 

 For this reason the precise spot in which to plant any given fruit must 

 be chosen with regard to both soil and exposure. In the chapters 

 devoted to the several fruits, there will be an attempt made to describe 

 the soil requirements of each, so that the inexperienced planter may 

 not err seriously in choosing the location for each kind of fruit he 

 desires to grow. While this is true, it will also appear in these special 

 chapters that the choice of roots upon which to bud or graft gives 

 the planter a certain latitude and independence. This is of greatest 

 value in the planting of home orchards, or orchards for local markets, 

 in regions where the soil is not what is usually preferred for fruit 

 production. With proper choice of stocks and wisdom and diligence 

 in cultivation, one need hardly despair of growing good fruit on soil 

 which will support any laudable plant growth. And yet in commercial 

 orcharding, the secret of which is producing most abundantly and 

 cheaply, too great attention can not be paid to choice of specially 

 adapted soils. 



It is an interesting fact that more complete and exact knowledge 

 exists of the soils of California than of any other State of the Union, 

 and for this knowledge the public is indebted to E. W. Hilgard, Pro- 

 fessor Emeritus of Agriculture, and Director of the Agricultural 

 Experiment 'Stations of the University of California from 1875 to 

 1905. For the last forty years he has given all the time he could 

 spare from many other and pressing duties, to the examination, and, 

 when needed, the analysis, of representative soil specimens, and to 

 practical expositions of their nature, adaptations, and requirements in 

 the event of exhaustion from too long cropping, and he has published 

 a general treatise entitled, "Soils; Their Formation, Properties, Compo- 

 sition and Relations to Climate and Plant Growth in the Humid and 

 Arid Regions," which includes the results of his long study of Cali- 

 fornia soils and climates. 



Since the honorable retirement of Professor Hilgard and of Pro- 

 fessor R. H. Loughridge, who was for many years closely associated 

 with him in soil work, the University instruction and research in soils 

 have been in charge of Professor C. B. Lipman, whose original work, 

 especially in soil bacteriology, is making notable contributions to a 

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