32 RURAL CALIFORNIA 



plants at various elevations and under different ex- 

 posures there might be several "climates" on the same 

 farm, as has already been stated. 



Third: That the soils were, as a rule, light, mel- 

 low, naturally well drained and easily worked, al- 

 though local areas might be quite otherwise. 



Fourth: That the soils were usually very deep, 

 "deep as a well" as frequently expressed, because 

 well-digging gave the pioneers their first evidence 

 of depth. Occasionally bed-rock or impervious hard- 

 pan was encountered very near the surface. 



Fifth : That in deep soils there was little difference 

 in fertility between the surface soil and the subsoil; 

 that in some mysterious way the soil had been 

 "weathered" all the way down as shown by the fact 

 that earth thrown out in digging ordinary wells or 

 cellars would grow as good plants as the old undis- 

 turbed surface. This was a surprise to those who 

 came from humid regions where even too deep plow- 

 ing would bring up subsoil which had to be made 

 fertile by manuring and aeration. 



Sixth: That in spite of these widely prevalent 

 facts there were considerable areas of land on the val- 

 ley floors which might be either light or heavy, deep 

 or shallow ; which in the rainy season looked rich and 

 productive but would either grow no useful plants 

 at all or else would start them along well in the 

 rainy season only to destroy them soon afterwards 

 before they could come to profitable maturity. 



Practical conclusions from the experience of the 

 pioneers were that California soils were, as a rule, 



