The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-07-31
ALKALI SOIL TREATMENT
Some of the Plants Which Can
Be Grown to Advantage.
RECLAMATION OF LANDS
The Black Alkal Is the Most Injurious
to Vegetable Growth and the TILL
ing Qualities of the Soil-Gyp-
sum Should Be Used.
Washington Bureau of the Standard.
No. 1145 G. Street N wv

l
No. f145 G. Street n. w,
/ Washington, July 26.--Director A. G.
True, head of the bureau of experiment
stations of the department of agricul-
ture, in report just from the printing
office, discusses plants adapted to al
kali soils" He says: Throughout the
western portion of the United States.
especially where irrigation is practiced,
areas of aikali soils of greater or less
extent are of frequent occurrence.
These soils derive their name from the
fact that they are strongly impregnated
with soluble salts, which effioresce or
bloom out in the form of a powder or
crust during dry weather following
rains or irrigation. The basis of these
salts is mainly soda, together with
smaller amounts of potash and usually
a little lime and magnesia. They are
mixtures chiefly of sodium sulphate,
common salt and sodium carbonate in
varying proportions. They often con-
tain in addition small amounts of po-
uasium sulphate, sodium phosphate and
sodium nitrate, substances whose fer
tildzing value is well known
'Of the different forms black alkali
is by far the most injurious to vegeta-
BILE growth and to the filling qualities
of the soil: common salt ranks next in
righteousness. while sodium sulphate is
the least injurious and may be present
to the extent of half of per cent or
more without materially interfering
with the growth of most crops. 1t fol-
lows that in the reclamation of alkali
lands for agricultural purposes the first
thing needful is a transformation of the
sodium carbonate into sodium Sulphate
by means of gypsum reducing the in
juriousness of the black allSali one
fourth to one-fifth.
while the occurrence Of alkali in ex-
cess in the soil constitutes serious
menace ITO the successful production Of
most farm crops, recent Investigations
have shown that there are many plants
of economic value which are able to
tolerate "a considerable amount of al
kali. The experiment stations of west
ern states have devoted considerable
attention to the subject of the utiliza-
ton of alhali soils, studying especially
the relation of native and cultivated
plants to alkali. The resistance to al
kali varies greatly with the kind of
plant and the character Of the salts in
the alkali. Thus the plants of the goose
foot family, comprehending, besides the
goosefoot proper the beet, spinach. sam
phire, saltwort and the saltbushes gem
orally, will resist very large amounts of
all three of the salts: while, on the
other extreme, the legumes--clovers,
peas, beans, vetches, etc.--resent even
small amounts of either The entire
sunflower family is rather tolerant of
alkaM while most of the cultivated
grasses are quite sensitive.
I'm experiments by the Wyoming
station on the influence of alxai salts
on the termination of wheat and rye, it
was found that small amounts of these
salts hasten termination and no doubt
also assist in the life of the plant,
either stimulating its growth or acting
directly as plant food. When, however,
the proportion of alkali salts exceeded
certain limits, termination was inter
fered with.
ut does not appear that any of the
salts, except sodium carbonate, exerted
directly poisonous or corrosive effects
on the seeds. The injury appeared to
be due to the fact that the salts in
solution interfered with the absorption
by the seed of the water necessary for
termination.
The experience of the Wyoming sta
ton indicates that there are very few
useful plants which will grow where the
soil contains so much alkali that an M
crustation is formed on the surface.
Among other alkali-resisting plants
which the station has successfully test
ed are saltbushes, English rape, okhara
or white sweet clover and sugar beets.
HOSFORD.