The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-09-14
Novel Work of Soil Experts Over
the Jordan.
SURVEY OF THE SOILS
NEW METHODS FOR RECLAMA-
TIoN OF LANDS.
Government officials Are Still Boring
Holes In the Alkah Flats and
VIII Make Map of the Soil
Injurious Salts May Be Removed
By Drainage.

Thomas H. Means and F. D. Gard
ner. experts in the soil division of the
department of agriculture at Washing
ton. who arrived here last July with
instructions to conduct a series of ex-
periments on the nature of the waste
alkali lands west of the Jordan river,
have completed about one-half Of the
prescribed work. Shortly after their
arrival here Mr.. Means was ordered to
Greeley, Colo, to conduct a like series
of experiments there, the soil being
somewhat similar to that west Of the
Jordan. Professor John Stewart, chief
chemist of the Utah agricultural expert
mental station, filed the position left
vacant by Mr.. Means departure, and
has been assisting Mr.. Gardner for the
past two months.
The primary object of this scientific
investigation of the nature of the soil
is to determine the kind of salts that
prevent the propagation Of plant life;
the amount present in the soil, and the
most feasible plan of Kidding it of the
deleterious substances so that the lands
may be reclaimed and worked in an
agricultural way.
AS conducted at present, the work
consists of making frequent borings in
the soil to a depth of six feet, and then
determining the percentage of alkali in
each foot of soil between the surface
and the bottom of the boring, and in a
number of instances the percentage of
black aIkali or carbonate will also be
determined
Making Soil Map.
The borings are made at frequent
enough intervals to enable the investi-
gators to prepare an underground map
of the entire district west of the Jor-
dan river. In addition to this a. map
indicating the texture of the soil will
be outlined The soil map is especially
important in its relation to the reclaim
ing of the land; it shows the ease or
difficulty with which water will per-
colat4 through the soil and carry away
the soluble salts in the drainage water.
Nearly all the salts found in alkali
lands are soluble. The insoluble ones
are not detrimental to plant or vege-
table life The salts are varied in ma
ture and are more or less abundant
Carbonate of soda is present in almost
every locality, but sodium chloride pre-
dominates Carbonate of lime is pres
ent; it is not very soluble, but harm
less. SulphateS of soda and other non
metallic elements are always present in
large quantities. SilicateS and phos-
pilates exist in the soil in small
amounts, but they are seldom consid-
cred in alkali problems.
The nature of the present analysis is
cumulative, not qualitative That is,
the total amount of salts that go into
solution when the soil is saturated, is
determined; but no attempt is made to
determine the kind of salts, except in
the case of sodium carbonates, which
is determined both quantitatively and
qualitatively.
Method of Survey.
The method followed in making the
survey is as fellows: -
Samples of soil are removed from
the ground with an inch and quarter
augur at intervals of about one-foufth
of a mile. The samples thus taken are
saturated with distilled water, and
thoroughly mixed in a mortar or porce-
lain bowl. A portion of the saturated
soil is then placed in a hard rubber
shell. having parellel metallic electrodes
IN the sides The current from set OF
dry batteries is then turned on. ana
the ohnive resistance of the Satl Alted
soil measured by means of a modified
form of the Wheatstone bridge. From
this resistance is determined the per-.
centage of salt in solution. When salt
is in solution it is a conductor of .elec-
tricity, and the conductivity varies d.
rectly with the amount of salt in the
solution.
This is known as the electrical meth
cd of determining soluble salts. 1t was
devised at Washington by the division
of soils department, and is used IN the