ALLUVIAL OR SEDIMENT SOILS 43 



and therefore easy of cultivation and not disposed to bake on 

 drying; they are deep, consequently well drained and yet absorp- 

 tive and retentive enough; they are exceptionally rich, consquently 

 extremely productive and durable and they can often be given 

 a new fertile surface by deep turning from the fertility of the 

 greater depths. This was the natural endowment which enabled 

 the pioneer vegetable growers to disturb the horticultural . peace 

 of the world in 1849-50. It remains to foster the achievements 

 of later years and it will endure definitely into the future. 



The distribution of these desirable soils gives all regions a 

 share in them. Either as residual loams resulting from the decom- 

 position of adjacent rocks, or as transported loams which have been 

 carried greater or less distances by wind, glacial action or other 

 moving force, or as alluvial or sediment soils, deposited by action 

 of flowing streams, every California county has its vegetable soils 

 in ample measure. Such is the diversity of soils within narrow 

 areas in California that it may not take a very large farm to inclose 

 several diverse types, and it is the first duty of the settler to learn 

 their special characters and adaptations and plan his production 

 accordingly. 



Alluvial or Sediment Soils. Though there is marked differ- 

 ence in the origin of our soils which are suitable for vegetable 

 growing, when proper moisture conditions are arranged, it is 

 naturally the alluvial or sediment soils which have hitherto been 

 chiefly used, They have been deposited by recent or ancient water 

 courses and have formerly served as river banks or river and lake 

 bottoms. They have beneath them, generally quite far below, the 

 prevailing soil of the adjacent country. They consist of fine allu- 

 vium with seldom any admixture of coarse materials. They are 

 usually very deep and well drained. They occur sometimes at a con- 

 siderably higher level than existing streams and are sometimes 

 designated as "next to river bottom," while the lower levels consti- 

 tute the "river bottom." In some small valleys they have spread 

 deeply all over the original soil, having been washed in such 

 quantities from adjacent hills, and in larger valleys have spread 

 for considerable distances out upon the plain. These are primarily 

 the fruit lands, but they are also largely used for such vegetables 

 as thrive upon lighter and drier soils. Below are the present river 

 bottoms, usually dark, rich and moist and not subject to baking 

 or cracking, which are par excellence, vegetable lands. 



