—In this district we find soils of many different grades and colors. The sandy and gravelly soils are considered as producing the finest flavored raisins, and those having the best keeping qualities, while the rich, loamy soils of the valleys produce raisins of inferior flavor and keeping qualities, but of larger size and more per acre. For economical reasons, the latter soils are preferred, as they alone can be irrigated and made to produce large crops. Some of the best vineyards in this district contain a gray, ashy soil, quite similar to the white ash of the Kings river lands, while others are growing on a red clayey loam similar to the California red soil.
Smyrna.
—The raisin-grapes of Smyrna in Asia Minor are almost exclusively grown on a white limestone soil, which consists of decomposed white rocks mixed with a stiff ocher-colored loam. This soil is so rocky that it must first be cleared, and the large rocks are carried away and used for boundary walls. This is the soil in the coast districts. In the interior the Sultana vines, as well as the Muscats, are replaced by fig orchards and other trees which delight in sandy soil,—too sandy to produce profitable raisin crops.
Zante.
—The soils of Zante, the home of the Currant grape, are of various kinds. The heavy marl of the plains, which contains a large percentage of gypsum or sulphate of lime, is considered the best; indeed the gypsum is by many considered indispensable, or at least highly beneficial, to the above variety of grape. Other soils are red clay, gray marl and gravelly loam, all containing an abundance of lime. The Currant grape grows well and produces well on all these different soils, but does the best on the gypsum soil, which is therefore the most valued. On other soils the bunches are less solid, and the quantity of grapes produced is somewhat less, while their quality is inferior.
Scene in a Fresno Raisin Vineyard: Raisin Trays Exposed for Drying.
Chile.
—The Huasco grape grows in the valley of Huasco, on the coast of Chile, in a soil that is very light and red, containing a great quantity of sand. While very light in weight, this soil is said to be very rich in plant food, and yields good crops.