The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-11-21
INVESTIGATION
OF SOILS

Washington, Nov. 20.-One of the
most important problems before the De
partment of Agriculture, and one which
has been under investigation for many
months, is the reclamation of the arid
and semi-arid lands of this country.
Professor Milton Whitney, chief of the
Division of Soils, has recently returned
to the Department, after an extended
trip through the Dakotas, Montana,
Washington and other semi-arid regions,
where he was sent officially to examine
the possibilities of improving the methods
Of cultivation, so as to conserve the rain
fall. Through that semi-arid region OF
the country they have an average of
eighteen inches Of rainfall a year. That
is sufficient for the crops if it is well
distributed. The trouble is that it is
not regular and in some years there is
a much lighter rainfall.
Now it seems possible that with i'm
proved methods of cultivation, the rain
which actually falls may be prevented
from evapOrating, and be maintained for
the use of crops during the excessive
droughts which they sometimes have.
1t was found that many soils of the
country in eastern Washington, were
able to hold the water which fell in the
winter, so that, with eighteen inches Of
rain, a crop can be grown through the
SUMMER months, without any additional
rainfall after the crop has been planted.
Another problem was the inyestiga-
ton Of the application OF water to the
soil and the study of methods of irri-
CATION and to investigate the alkali pro-
blem in these several States.
In conversation with Professor Whit
ney on the result of his investigation, he
was led to say:
Il went down to southern California,
and came back over the Central Pa
cfc, through Nevada and Utah, and
stopped in Nebraska. The trip has been
very suggestive as to the peculiar needs
of these different sections of the country.
The cas- en farmers are interested in
the classification of soils as they have
been forced to specialize along different
lines. The farmers of the semi-arid re-
gions with the uncertain rainfall. are
particularly interested in the methods Of
cultivation which will conserve the wa
ter and make them largely Independent
of drought The farmers of the arid
regions and wherever irrigation has
been practiced. are especially
concerned with the methods
of applying the water, the
proper amount to apply for different pur
poses, and the treatment of the alkali
problem which is sure to follow the in
PRODUCTION of irrigation.
"Their soils are formed from the dis
interrogation of rock. The minerals con-
stituting the rocks decompose, and the
soils of soda and potash and lime are
set free in a soluble form. This disinte
grafton is due partly to chemical changes
and partly to physical causes.
"In country where the rainfall is
abundant, the excess of these soils over
ana above what are given off annually,
are leached out and carried out into the
ocean. This is the source of the salts
in the ocean. In country of scanty
rainfall, with no more than nine or ten
INCHES year, there is not sufficient wa
ter to leach any of these soils out, so
that they remain in the soil. Under ma
tural conditions they are usually dis
tributed through the soils just as they
were formed, but when irrigation is in
troduced they shift their position and
accumulate at certain places, come up
to the surface and are liable to in
jure or destroy the crops.
The alkali varies in different parts
of the counry.-In Dakota and Montana
it is almost exclusively white alkali
(sulphi5e of Soda. This is not particu-
larry harmful to crops unless it accu-
mulates in very large quantities. In the
Yellowstone Valley where they use an
excessive amount of water on their lands,
these salts have accumulated to such an
extent that in many cases the lands
have been abandoned and it is very Sc
rious problem as to how the accumula-
ton can be prevented, and how the
land already given up may be recover
ed. With this kind of alzali the only
thing is to reduce the amount by under
drainage, to carry off the Seepage waters
and the excessive amount OF alkali they
contain.
I'm Washington and southern Cali
fornia, a great deal of the alkali is the
carbonate of soda, which is particularly
injurious to plants, as it corrodes their
roots. They also have the white alkali
but this is not giving as much trouble
as the black. The carbonate of soda
can be neutralized by the addition of
sulphate of lime or plaster. This con-
verts the carbonate of soda into the sui
phate of soda and leaves carbonate of
lime in the soil, which is beneficial to
plants. Where this occurs in very large
quantities, however, understandings isl
the only safe remedy. Where it occurs
in only moderate quantities, through Gull
tivation by retarding evaporation, will
keep the salts from coming to the sur
face. These alkalis are all beneficial to
plants if they are not in such excessive
quantities as to surfeit them.
"Much of the harm that has come from
the alkali is a direct result of the ex-
cessive use of water in irrigation, and
there are considerable areas of land which
have been abandoned on account of this
trouble. AS the lands are becoming
more valuable these questions are inter-
esting the people to very great extent,
and are beginning to appreciate the eff
forts that have been made towards the
study and improvement of the condi-
tons.
"In Nevada the alkali is mainly COM
mon salt with more sodium SulDhate and