Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-05-27
AGRICULTURAL PAPERS.
A SERIES PREPARED ESPECIALLY FOR
THE "RECoRD-UEIoN."
Presenting Instruction Contained in Lect-
ures from the Chair OF Agricult-
ure, state University.
[TwESTIYrH PAPER /

the ascent of the capillary water Of soils,
deserves to be treated somewhat in detail.
In California the term alkah, Gays Pro-
fessor Hilgard in his report for 1880, " IS
applied almost Unfortunately to all soils
containing an unusual amount Of soluble
mineral soils, whose presence is frequently
made apparent by the etiiorescence, or
blooming out On the surface, OF white
powder or crust, soluble in water. The
presence and action of alkali in the surface
soil is due to the fxation of the soluble
alkah matter from the liquids Of the soil,
on or near the surface of the soil, and where
its presence Is most apparent and injurious.
Chemically, and considered according to
their injuriousness, alkaliss are OF three
grades. a. Neutral alkaline salts, as
common salt. Glaubers salt lsulpbate of
sodal, and other sulphates. These salts,
as the name implies, are neutral; that Is,
the amounts OF alkali and acid composing
them are such as to mutually neutrahze the
alkalinity or sciditY.
THESE NEUTRAL SAILS
Are only directly injurious to vegetation
when present in very large quantities.
Being neutral. E., the base and acid ex-
aetly counte-balancing each other we
cannot improve their effects upon the soil
by any available chemical means. The
only remedy, therefore, is to remove them
from the soil. This can be done by artifi-
cial washing, or by opening good system
of drains and then leaving the spring rains
to do the rest. U Soluble earthly and
metallic sulphates and chlorldes, such as
EPSON salt (sulphate OF magneslal, sulphate
OF calcium, chloride OF calcium, etc. These
are not generally the most troublesome OF
the alkaIies nor are they SO easily washed
from the soil as are those OF the hrst class.
The remedy, which depends upon chem.
ical reaction, IS the addition OF lime. The
lime is reduced to the caustic state by the
water it meets in the soil, and Immediately
combines with the alkalies, with the forma-
ton of much less injurious compounds. ~
The last class of slKalies Is made up OF the
carbonates and borates OF the alkah bases.
OF all the alkalies they, and especially the
first, are the most injurious and are what
may be termed the true slkah salts.
They are from ten to twenty times as IN
furious as the other alkalies, and their pres
ence in the surface soil, even IN very small
quantities, is very injurious to crops,
especially shsllowrooted ones. Tney are
very soluble in water, and hence, like
those Of the first class, may be removed by
teaching. But the easiest method OF doing
swav with their corrosiveness IS to neutral
izs them by the addition of gypsum (plas-
ter. sulphste of lime) The sulphuric acid
of the gypsum drives off the carbonic or
boric acid Of the alkali and combines with
the base to form neutral alkah sulphstes.
This is comparatively unipJurious except
in very large quantities, and may remain
in the soil in considerable quantities with
out apparent damsge. In applying
MINERAL MATTERS
To the soil for the purpose OF neutralizing
or acting chemically upon any ingredients
Of the soil care must be taken to apply
them shortly before rain ; for without
liquid contact no chemical changes will
take place. Now having seen what the
"alkalies" are composed of, and limited at
their remedies, let us notice the method OF
their formation and accumulation IN and
on the surface soil We have seen that
they are fixed solid matter from the aka
line solution of the soil. They must there
fore have been either fixed from the de.
scending or ascending liquids. If they were
fixed from the descending liquids they
! IL lnlN Aa
and more generally distributed in the
earth above the constant water line
instead of ACCOMPLISHING on the
surface as an effioresoence. 1t is
evident, therefore, that they must
have been brought to the surface by the
ascending capillary water, and left behind
as a solid residue by the evaporating
water. We see, therefore, that the effects
of alkali depends upon the amount and
rapidity of evaporation on the total guam
tity of alkali present and on the quality
of the alkali salts. /. We have seen that
the amount of evaporation depends upon
the state of the atmosphere kind of soil,
and the amount of water in the sell. The
effects Of the alkali from evaporation must
be variable with the different conditions
and seasons. We all know that alkali
only becomes visible and is most injurious
during the heat OF summer. This is owing
to the fact that
THE CAPILLARY ASCENT OF WATER,
And its evaporation is here most rapid !;
and because the alkali of the liquids is left
on or near the surface, where its action will
be most direct and injurious. That the
kind Of soil also influences the effects of
the alkali is also well known. The same
percentage of alkali in coarse sand will
rise more quickly to the surface, be more
apparent and more injurious than it would
In fine soil. These effects depend main
ly upon the rapidity of evaporation. That
the evaporation depends on the amount of
moisture present is 80 apparent as to need
no further notice. II the amount of aka
line solutions in soil subject to evapora-
tion is large, the deposit of alkal ON the
surface must be correspondingly large. OF
course the immediate effects depend on the
quality as well as the quantity OF the alkali
present. The righteousness may be
lessened by thorough and deep tillage /;
for as the alkali sccumulstes on the
surface and is only injurious when
present there in considerable quantities, it
may be literally diluted by mixing the sur
face layer, and which contains the most of
the acting alkali, with the earth taken to
a depth Of ten to eighteen inches. By this
simple dilution the alkali is often rendered
too weak TO do any harm. But as during
evaporation it is constantly rising to the
surface again, it is evident that the soil
must be Kept titled and thoroughly mixed.
Cultivation reduces the evaporation and
hence we car both dilute the alkali and re-
tard its rise to the surface by frequent cul.
tivation. 1t is of the frat Importance,
therefore, that soils containing alkali should
be kept in a loose and friable condition,
and that they should be plowed several
times during the summer season.
UEDER-DRAINAGE
Also ameliorates the effect of alkali, first,
by allowing it to be washed out and car
ried off during the rainy season; and,
second, by removing the "water table or
line Of constant water to such depth as