SOIL SUKVEY OF THE EED BLUFF AREA, CALIFORNIA. 



53 



It is alluvial in origin and is the comparatively recent product 

 of flood waters, being the medium-textured alluvium deposited by 

 flood waters. At some points where the floods sweep across low- 

 lying land occupying bends in the Sacramento River, severe erosion 

 has taken place, accompanied by deposition of fine sand as an irregu- 

 lar covering. At earlier times some sections now occupied by this 

 type were not subject to such frequent flooding and so were cleared 

 and utilized for agi'iculture. Slight changes in the river increased 

 erosion, resulting in the abandonment of the small sections so affected. 



Most of this type has never been cleared and supports the thickest 

 jungle to be found in the Sacramento bottoms. Lofty cottouAvoods, 

 sycamores, and oaks with interlacing branches are often festooned to 

 their tops with masses of wild grape vines. Beneath the trees occurs 

 a tangled growth of wild rose bushes, weeds, brush, and grapevines, 

 while masses of driftwood render the areas almost impenetrable. 



The type is uncultivated and will remain so until the river is 

 effectually controlled. It is overflowed and eroded even by floods 

 of low stage. Protected, the type could be cleared, leveled, brought 

 under irrigation, and devoted to a variety of crops. The expendi- 

 tures and broad general development of the whole river course which 

 must precede the farming of this type places it in the list of non- 

 agricultural soils for many years. 



The following table gives the results of a mechanical analysis of 

 the soil of this type: 



Mechanical analysis of Sacramento fine sand. 



SACRAMENTO FINE SANDY LOAM. 



The Sacramento fine sandy loam of the Eed Bluff area typically 

 consists of 6 feet or more of rather smooth-textured, slightly mica- 

 ceous fine sandy loam, usually light brown in color. In those excep- 

 tional cases where the fine sandy loam material is less than 6 feet 

 deep, the subsoil consists of gravel beds, fine sand, or a very silty 

 fine sandy loam, approaching the lighter phases of the Sacramento 

 silt loam. In any case the typical surface soil is rarely less than 48 

 inches in depth and of rather uniform structure throughout. Neg- 

 ligible quantities of w^aterworn gravel occur in certain small areas in- 

 fluenced by swift water action. At all times the type is very friable, 

 requiring minimum attention to cultivation to secure good tilth. 



