The Saint Paul globe., 1897-12-06

done in many sections, that it is safe
to say that two or three times the
amount of land could be irrigated with
the same amount of water as is used
now, with an advantage both to crop
and to soil. There are certain plants
and weeds which grow on these alkali
soils and they are so characteristic
that wherever they are found growing
one may know that the alkali is pres
ent in large quantities, even though it
does not appear on the surface on the
ground. There is a great difference
in the power of plants and trees to
Withstand the alkali The pear trees
will grow very we'll where all the other
plants and trees of California will per-
ish. o.
THE alkali Often exists in a layer
under the surface and if the roots of
the plants ever get down through this
and the tree lives to be two or three
years old, then it will no longer feel
the effects of the salkali, but will grow
with these roots down below this ac-
emulation. Often the hardest part is
to stort the tree, but after it is well
started, it grows without trouble. In
some places the hard pan is so dense
that it has to be blown up and large
quantities of dynamite is used in set
ting out the orchard Every place q
blown through this material, so that
the roots of the ztreets may penetrate
into the sub-soil.
'The alkali always tends to render the
soil more attentive to moisture, and often
out on the alkali deserts where rain never
falls for six or eight months at time, the
soil. close to the surface is constantly moist.
In fact. it is difficult to dry out sample of
soil exposed to the open air when the sample
contains a considerable amount of alkali.
This of course, is a decided advantage, and
soils containing a moderate amount of al
kali are generally preferred.
Far from being an unnlitigated evil these
alkali lands have always been held in high
esteem. All of the Oldest civilizations were
started in or near the arid and salkaH reg
ions, principally owing to the extreme fertil-
ity Of the soils, and partly to the large and
sure crops which can be secured under irri-
CATION.
'These Western soils are naturally extrem-
ly fertile The a.kali they contain is essen
tial to the life of plants. Too much of It
should not be removed and great care should
be taken not to disturb the natural dlstribu-
ton in the soil, and to cause redistribu-
tion and leach the salts from one place to
another.
1.-The University of California has an ex-
pertinent station located in one of the worst
alkali districts of Southern California, and
for number of years has been investigating
the methods of drying the soil. Prof. Hill
gard, the director of the station, has done
more than any one else to explain the forma-
tion of the alkali and to work out the prop
er methods of drying it. at the experiment
station at Tu1are. He found large quantities
of carbonate of soda, which is the worst form
OF aikali, and this is found most entirely, to
depth of three or {our5inches of the soil.
"In it's worst formy absolutely nothing will
grow on this land. In order to correct this
tons of gypsum to the acre. and washing it
in in by flooding the land This acts on the
carbonate of soda and converts it into the sui
phate of soda and large crops. of grain can be
grown or crops of trees. be set out
at is difficult problem to understand. but
the result so far obtafned at this station are
very encouraging. Prof, Hilgard finds that
the alkal changes it's lssition at different