46 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE BUREAU OF SOILS, 1910. 



VINA FINE SANDY LOAM. 



This type of soil consists of a daik-<iTay or grayish-brown to almost 

 black fine sandy loam, sometimes micaceous and iisnally extending 

 to a depth of (J feet. It has an extremely friable structure and is 

 easy to cultivate. This type is in the main remarkably uniform, 

 although there are small patches where the typical smooth fine 

 sandy texture gives Avay to a slightly coarser phase or to a soil con- 

 taining more silt. It is usually free from gravel, except in narrow 

 .strips bordering washes, where coarser alluviimi may be present. 

 That bod}' lying along ]\Iill Creek often lias quantities of andesitic 

 gravel strewn over the surface, orginating from bodies of contiguous 

 Tuscan stony sandy loam. In the few places where the type has a 

 depth of less than 6 feet it is underlain by gravel beds or by the 

 volcanic conglomerate masses of bordering types. 



The type is found as an extensive body along Deer Creek, widen- 

 ing as it approaches the town of Vina and reaching the Sacramento 

 River with a frontage of about 1 mile. More limited areas lie along 

 Mill and Antelope Creeks. The l)()undary lines defining this soil are 

 usually quite distinct in the Mill Creek section, being marked by 

 terrace lines. This is also true along such parts of the Deer Creek 

 body as lie in contact with the Tuscan series. It is only on the valley 

 trough side and in the Antelope Creek sections that gradations into 

 other types are found. 



The surface of the Vina fine sandy loam is smooth, but with a con- 

 siderable slope toward the Sacramento River, averaging in rate of 

 fall the streams along which it lies, or about 30 or 40 feet to the mile. 

 There arc many gentle dei)rossions marking the surface, and irriga- 

 tion in certain parts has rendered these old channel remnants rather 

 poorly drained. Relief of such places by simply freeing the channels 

 through deepening them slightly would render the type well drained 

 throughout. It is porous and subsoil drainage is naturally good. 



The valley oak finds a natural home upon this type and this growth 

 yet remains upon uncultivatel areas. AVillow,cottonwood, and grape- 

 vines grow plentiful!}' along tlie stream ways. 



In origin this type is entirely alluvial, and it is the most recent 

 product of tlie east side pei'ennial streams, Antelope, JMill, and Deer 

 Cicck's. It has been carried fiom the upper-stream sources and laid 

 <lowii in its j)i-escnt position without a great deal of intermingling 

 with the materials of tiie 'J'liscan or other soil series occurring in the 

 area. The process of foi'ination has been accompanied by an erosion 

 of the old Tuscan tiilT inalcrial. 



The Vina fine sandy loam, because of its depth, frial)le'stnicture, 

 natuial fertility, and ii-i'igation possibilities is in its typical occur- 

 rence one of the most valuable soils in the area. Its entire area is 

 capable of irrigation, and considerable development along this line 



