94 GRAPK CULTURE AND 



SOILS ADAPTED TO THE CALIFORNICA. 



It is obviously of the utmost importance that the con- 

 ditions of the successful growth of the promising Californian 

 vine should be fully understood by those contemplating its 

 use as a resistant stock. Searching for a data on this sub- 

 ject, I was led, some years ago, to notice cases of particular 

 luxuriance in its growth, and more especially those in which 

 it ascends from its usual habitat in the moist lowlands, to 

 the drier uplands. A very notable instance of this kind 

 was fully investigated by me in 1884, and the results pub- 

 Mshed in Bulletin No. 24, of the College of Agriculture, of 

 which the relevant portion is given below : 



No. 799. Valley soil, taken on a creek heading near Nun's Caiion, on 

 the Oakville and Glen Ellen Eoad, Napa County.* The valley is a 

 narrow one, of a briskly flowing stream on the Napa side of the 

 divide. It is not under cultivation near the point where the sample 

 was taken, but the spot is remarkable for the luxuriant growth of wild 

 grapevines which cover not only the bottom, but run high up on the 

 hillsides. The opportunity seemed a good one for ascertaining just 

 what kind of soil the California wild vine delights in, thus giving a 

 clue to the proper selection of soils on which it is to form the stocks. 

 There is apparently little change in the soil for twelve or eighteen 

 inches; it is of a gray tint, stimsii, and bakes very hard when dry, un- 

 tilled ; a light adobe or clay loam. For want of tools for digging, the 

 soil was taken to the depth of eight inches only. It contains no 

 coarse material, save a fragment of slate here and there. Its analysis 

 resulted as follows: 



VALLEY SOIL, SONOMA MOUNTAINS. 



Insoluble matter 63.55 \ r . Q no 



Soluble silica,..:... 5.54 / oy ' uy 



Potash...... 1.66 



Soda.... 22 



Lime : . .' . . . ,: 60 



Magnesia '. 1.94 



Br. oxide of magnanese 11 



Peroxide of iron 4.5 1 



*On the occasion of a tour of observation, made under the auspices 

 of the Viticultural Commission, October, 1834. 



