APPENDIX A. 



DIRECTIONS FOR TAKING SOIL SAMPLES. ISSUED BY THE 

 CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION. 



IN taking soil specimens for examination by the Agricultural Ex- 

 periment Station, the following directions should be carefully observed; 

 always bearing in mind that the examination, and especially the 

 analysis, of a soil is a long and tedious operation, which cannot be 

 indefinitely repeated. 



First. Do not take samples at random from any points on the land, 

 but consider what are the two or three chief varieties of soil which, 

 with their intermixtures, make up the cultivable area, and carefuily 

 sample these, each separately ; then, if necessary, sample your particular 

 soil, noting its relation to these typical ones. 



Second. As a rule, and whenever possible, take specimens from 

 spots that have not been cultivated, nor are otherwise likely to have 

 been changed from their original condition of "virgin soils" e.g., not 

 from ground frequently trodden over, such as roadsides, cattle-paths, or 

 small pastures, squirrel holes, stumps, or even the foot of trees, or spots 

 that have been washed by rains or streams, so as to have experienced a 

 notable change, and not be a fair representative of their kind. 



Third. Observe and record carefully the normal vegetation, trees, 

 herbs, grass, etc., of the average virgin land ; avoid spots showing 

 unusual growth, whether in kind or in quality, as such are likely to 

 have received some animal manure, or other outside addition. 



Fourth. Always take specimens from more than one spot judged to 

 be a fair representative of the soil intended to be examined, as an 

 additional guarantee of a fair average, and mix thoroughly the earth 

 taken from the same depths. 



Fifth. After selecting a proper spot, pull up the plants growing on 

 it, and sweep off the surface with a broom or brush to remove half- 

 decayed vegetable matter not forming part of the soil as yet. Dig or 

 bore a vertical hole, like a pesthole, and note at what depth a change 

 of tint occurs. In the humid region, or in humid lowlands of the arid, 



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