_Alkali Soils._--While nothing but first-class land is to be recommended for raisin vineyards, and alkali lands are of all soils those least suitable for our purpose, still a consideration of these lands will interest many raisin-grape growers. The best lands for raisin purposes in California are often contiguous to alkali lands, or to land containing more or less traces of alkali. A vineyard on the best soil contains often spots charged with alkali, and it may be inconvenient for the grower to allow these spots to lie idle, and he would prefer to fill them up with vines. The first work must then be to get rid of the alkali or reduce it to such an extent that it will not prove injurious. The general alkali lands are classed in three kinds, according to the quality of the alkali. 1st. Alkali salts, such as carbonates and borates. These are greatly detrimental to the vines, and no vines could be expected to do well in such soils, as even the smallest percentage of this alkali is injurious or even ruinous to the crop. In clayey soils these alkalies cause the clay to harden in such a way that no good tilth can be obtained. The land may be plowed ever so much, it will only turn up in chunks and never become properly pulverized. These true alkali salts consist principally of carbonate of sodium (sal-soda) or of carbonate of potassium (saleratus). _Remedies_: Gypsum, land-plaster or leaching with water. 2d. A second class of alkalies are the sulphates and chlorides, all soluble in water. Such salts are: Magnesium chloride (bittern), magnesium sulphate (Epsom salt), calcium chloride, etc. These salts, when not present in too large quantities, are easily counteracted by lime. 3d. A third class of alkalies is composed of neutral salts, such as chloride of sodium (common salt), sulphate of sodium (Glauber salt), sulphate of potassium, all soluble in water, but not convertible into less injurious substances by lime or gypsum. These salts do not bake the soil, but rather contribute towards keeping it loose and mellow. The remedies which are practical and not too expensive may be divided into several classes, which, if used in combination, may prove effective, while each one of them used separately would fail.