LUTHER BURBANK 



The value of soil depends upon its texture, the 

 elements it contains, the exposure, location, nat- 

 ural drainage, the availability of the elements 

 required, etc. 



A well-drained alluvial soil of fine texture is 

 the most productive with the average crop. 

 Furthermore, it is usually most durable in its pro- 

 ductiveness. That is, its valuable qualities con- 

 tinue to manifest themselves year after year. 



Other things being equal, a field located in a 

 comparatively level valley or plain is more val- 

 uable than one on the side of a hill. Often the soil 

 on the side of the hill is rather thin and there is 

 always the danger of washing. Rains come and 

 carry the most valuable part of the field into the 

 valley below. 



Of course, hillside fields are valuable for some 

 crops. In fact, in some cases, where the soil is 

 rich, even better results are obtained on the hills 

 than in the valleys. This is especially true in 

 California and semi-arid sections. 



North and east slopes are usually best for late 

 crops, but the south and west slopes are always 

 better for early crops. A slope toward the sun 

 even of only one or two inches to the rod makes a 

 difference in earliness of a week or more. This 

 has been proven by many experiments. 



The northern and eastern slopes hold the 



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