Arizona republican., 1900-12-04
THE SOIL OF ARIZONA
Surveys Made In This Ter
 ritOry During the Year
An Appropriation for a Continuation of the Work-What Has Already Been Accomplished by it in This Country.

Washington, Dec. S.-The annual re- port of the chief of the division of soils of the agricultural department says:
 The acres surveyed during the year in Arizona was 400 square miles, at the rate of 3.3 square miles per day, at a total cost of $S4O, or $21O per mile.
 In December MT. Means went to AIi- zona. where the Arizona experiment station furnished an assistant. and three months were spent in surveying and mapping 400 square miles of land, in cooperation with the experiment station.
 In the 100 square miles of land sur veyed and mapped around Tempe, Ariz., on the south side of Salt river, the soils were found to be formed of wash from the mountains and alluvial material brought down by the river. The underlying material was calcer- eous, and underlying this at still greater depth, were gravel and bowl der beds, which invariably carry wa ter. The soils are naturally free from alkali. and the irrigation waters are good, containing about 100 parts of salts per 100000 parts of water The irrigation of the mesa lands, however, has caused the water in the lower land l t1 rise to within one or two feet of the surface in years of plentiful supply of water. and considerable areas of what were the most fertile lands are now liable to be too wet to cultivate, and, besides, have accumulated an amount of alkali detrimental to all cultivated crops. The question of under-drainage was considered in connection with the damage already done, and it is believed it is quite possible and practicable to reclaim the damaged lands and prevent further loss.
 Similar conditions were found to ex- ist in the 250 square miles surveyed cn the north side of the river, except that the all1ali is here confined to a narrow strip along the river, which, however. is constantly widening. Special prcb- len2s were encountered here, as well as in an area under the Buckeye ca re'. which will be fully treated in the final report on the work The results of the work are highly satisfactory in showing on the maps prepared the con ditions actually prevailing, and in in dicating that the alkali question can easily be controlled and the fertility of the land be assuredly maintained"
 The director of the Arizona experi- mental station, in urging the exten- sion of the work in the territory, says:
 Tie work of the soil and alkali sur vey, especially in a new country, is of great value in showing settlers the nature of the land and it's liabilities to lalkaIii-information which will often- | times guide a farmer between success and disaster in his operations.
 A single instance during the past year will illustrate the desirability of such work. The Arizona experiment station has been conducting a sugar. beet culture experiment in the fertile valley of the upper GiIa. The plots were very various as to the nature of the soil and five characteristic plots gave the following yields of sugar per acre in pounds: 1,491, 1,521, 2,0O6 2.267, 3.361. The first two yields were se- cured in sandy mesa soil; the second two in typical heavy soil found in the river bottom, and the fifth and largest yield was secured on a. peculiar type of alluvial soil These great differences in sugar production are mainly due to differences in soil; consequently, in the exploitation of this district for beet sugar factory purposes. it is absolutely essential to know the location and ex- tent of this latter soil. as t is certain that beet culture would best prosper in this type of soil.
 Congress is asked for an increase of SS0.O00 for the soil survey: of that sum Arizona will be allowed $2.500
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