38 



FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE BUREAU OF SOILS, 1910. 



The Maywood silt loaiu is alluvial in origin. The small streams 

 alon^ which it lies have built this soil from material lar<!:ely derived 

 from the Tehama silt loam and the soils of the Reddiiiij series. The 

 outer boundaries are indistinct at points where the type merges into 

 the floor of the Sacramento Valley. 



The valley oak grows upon some portions of this type, and this 

 with a few willows forms the tree growth. A better than average 

 growth of grass also occurs, uncultivated areas affording good pas- 

 turage. 



There are several good orchards on the Maywood silt loam, grown 

 without irrigation, and producing fair returns. There are also sev- 

 eral fields of dry-farmed alfalfa producing profitable crops. It is 

 one of the best soils of the area for dry farming and some develop- 

 ment can be hoped for upon this type without irrigation, if very 

 thorough cultivation is resorted to in order to conserve the moisture. 

 The whole type is irrigable and well adapted to a wide range of 

 irrigated crops. All the fruits of this section, as well as alfalfa, 

 will yield well and justify' a moderately heavy tax for irrigation 

 purposes. 



The following table gives the average results of mechanical analy- 

 ses of the soil and subsoil of this type: 



Mechanical analijscs of Maywood .'<Ut loom. 



M.VYWOOD SILTY CLAY LOAM. 



The soil of the Mayw^ood silty clay loam consists of a very smooth 

 textured gray silty clay loam, very compact, which cracks upon dry- 

 ing, being rather refractor}' under such conditions. This material 

 extends to a depth of feet, with the single variation that it is occa- 

 sionally found with a lighter colored subsoil. It is free from coarse 

 sand and gravel. The type is but fairly easy to cultivate, its heavy 

 character and puddling tendenc}^ preventing the best of tilth. 



Only twf> or ilircc small bodies of this type were encountered, all 

 on the w('>t side (»f (he river, the largest being near Corning. Its 

 small extent makes it an unimportant type. ,The surface is usually 

 flat and surface water escapes slowly. 



The Maywood silty clay loam is a redeposited product derived 

 from the 'I'ehania soils in much the same manner as the Tehama clay 



