The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-06-18
.IRR|VES On AEAL|
Something Of the Wonderful
Australia n Salt Bush.
1T MAKES FINE FORAGE
Offers Great Possibilities in
the Arid West.

| experiment station, at Berkeley, directed
| by DR.. E. w. Hilsard. has recently scor-
ed another remarkable triumph. and has
won the gratitude Of thousands Of farm
ers in the arid and semi-arid region west
| OF the Mississippi. Ever since 1851 ex-
perments have been conducted at Berke-
ley. and at the sub-stations throughout
California, to test certain Australian
plants, known In popular language as
'salt-bushes." 1t seems to be acknowl-
edged now that some species of this large
cldass Of plants can be proitably utilized
on the land heretofore considered worth
less.
About 1881 the late Baron Won Mueller.
a man whose whole life was devoted to
the fascinating study of economic botany,
and 10 the distribution of valuable spe-
cies over new districts. sent seeds Of
many Australian salt-bushes to Califor-
MIA. These salt-bushes belong to a very
large class Of curious and useful plants
formerly called Chenopodlceoe. bat more
recently Salsolaceoe. The common beet
OF our gardens and the pig-weed OF the
roadside belong to this family. Its men,
bers often possess remarkable powers OF
resistance to alkali in the soil, and grow
where other plants would quickly perish.
Many plants OF the desert belong TO this
family, which Is also unusually drought
resisting. Unfortunately. only a few Of
the hundreds of species Of Salsolaceoe
have any economic value. Those species
at first received from Australia proved
unworthy OF general use. Experiments
were made with many kinds and at many
places. but without marked success until
species known as Atriplex senh-baccata
was tested near Tulare City. in the upper
San Joaquin valley, on very strong
BLACK alkali."
Such alkali land contains so much car
Donate Of soda and other salts that COM
mon barley dies there. Barley will with
stand $4,000 pounds OF alkali salts ito the
acre, but dies when the total reaches
10000 pounds while salt-buEh has been
known to grow when the total reached
1000 pounds to the acre. No other use
ful plant can show such a record. e 80
The value of salt-bush commercially
speaking. is as a food-plant for sheep,
cattle. horses, hogs. and to some extent
for domestic fowls. 1t keeps green all
summer, grows rapidly, yields from two
to four crops In season, and appears TO
possess as important a place in farm
economics as the well known alfalfa. The
most careful analysis of the plant made
at the experiment station show that its
food value. pound for pound. very fairly
approaches that Of alfalfa. Since st can
be grown on soil too alkaline to produce
alfalfa, its value Is evident.
But II this were all-in Australian salt
bushes were suited only to alkali soils
vast as those areas are in the Rocky
Mountain and Pacific Coast regions, the
sphere OF the plant would be merely To-
cal. Fortunately, further experiments.
extending over a long period OF years,
have determined new and larger posi-
bilties. Atriplex semfbsccata thr4ves in
regions of very light rainfall, on ex-
tremely poor soil, or even on soil Under
laid by hard-pan. Its ha bits OF growth In
such places are modified, OF course: the
plant Is much smaller and yields less, bu;
1t covers the ground, keeps green. and
grows until heavy frosts come The per-
ennial root remains in the ground. ready
for another season. Its value under such |
can hardly be estimated. |
All that one can say Is that such a plant |
makes many thousands of acres Of al |
most worthless land capable of sustain |
ing large aocks and herds.
The especial test that attracted public |
most strongly 20 this remark
able fodder plant was made near Paso
Robes. at a sub-station or branch Of the |
California experiment station. Late I'm
the spring of 1898. seed was sown there
The total rainfall Of that season from /
September. 1891. to June, 1895, was less
than five inches (this Is about the aver
age annual rainfall Of the dreadful Death
Valley deserD. Strong northers prevail.
all the field crops in the district perish,
md cattle died for lack Of pasture But
the salt-brush grew. kept green all sum-
mer, and furnished three cuttings Of hay
OF good quality. In the autumn the roots
Of a plart were traced with great care,
and were found TO descend through three
Or four feet OF dry hard-pan to the looser
and moister soil beneath.
Such an experiment as this convinced
farmers In arid districts. and a great de-
nand for seed arose. Meanwhile farmers |
n the alkali districts were planting IL
where ordinary crops were killed by the
saks. The TIlare expert
nent station has produced since 1891
t5out 500 pounds OF seed. all OF which
las been given 10 farmers or exchanged
with other districts or countries Many
armers have planted fields Of from FIVE
o fifty acres, and are using them for
4
ret much or clean seen from Australia
where the plant Is rapidly disappearing
indeed. u seems probable that shipments
will before long be made from California |
Jack 10 Australia.
The especial value OF the saIt-bushes In |
"a s;uTage (aside from their aikaIi-;olsr-
nee and iheir droGzhf-rests:ance) COT
lists IN their fatteaing and heslth-givinz | !
faaiitise. The beef Of cattle FED on salt
Iush l. one OF fsrst quality; the wooi OF
heep thHs nurtufed Possesses an unsar-
asSed evenneSs and strength % fibre.
australian wo0ls orSe much OF she5- rep8-
alton 20 a few OF the species After
Eighteen years Of careful ezperimsnfsaE
he California expsrimsn4 station has
tstr1buied tao trailing species. A semi
zccsta and A. Iepcoosrps. and two tall
? shrubby species. Airfplex baIInosdAs
nd A rescicar5a- There are others IN
or trial. some % which nay prove re- Z
u. bat these for certainly possess value 4
y many districts q the UnIted Stats
Broadly speaking. the Australian sat
ashes belong 20 Lands o. w4oesF rafzfaE
a q dry summer atmosphere. Tsss
ave succeeded 81 many points IN Caii-
,-nla. Nevada AriEona ard Ne~ Nsxsoe.
ID also in Mexico ard ArEsntirs Re-
,b!tc. Ayers ard South Africa have Z
a-...s 49,, cr . vast srsfe. Mar / .