The St. Johns herald., 1900-03-24

salts that can be tolerated in the soil and
 subsoil, under otherwise favorable con.
 ditions. and with salts consisting of not
 over half of carbonate of soda, lies some
 where between 159 and .203 per cent of the soil. Whitney and Means state that
 "The limit of excess of alkali in the soils
 at Billings (Montana) = was found to be about .45 of one per cen This is equivalent to about F. 900 pounds
 per acre one foot deep.,, The character
 of the aikali at Billings is stated to be entirely white" thus permitting the presence Of larger percentage than if carbonate of soda were present.
 As in the caee of black alkali, white aikali does most of it's damage noar tho surface of the soil. When in solution in in ground or irrigating water it is carried with the water wherever it goes until G. vaporation occurs, when 1t can no long CT follow.
 At the surface of the soil, therefore. where evaporation takes place. the aka Ii concentrates until it is locally destruc- tive to plants. It follows that where and when evaporation is greatest this proc ess of concentration is most rapid. In hot and windy weather. or in exposed situations the 'rise of tho alkali'' for this reason occurs most promptly.
 The most effective cure for white aka Ii IS removal by flooding and drainage. This method of course requires abund- ant water and good drainage, and can by no means be applied to all situations. Some of the most alkaline districts in Arizona are very favorably situated for drainage. South of Tempe, in the Buck eye country, and on the upper Gila, WA ter is comparatively abundant, and these lands, being underlaid in some lo- calitins by gravel and ly'ng near the riv- CT, are admirably drained. There should be little difficulty in flooding the alkali from at least portions of all these districts.
 But where water is scarce and drain age is poor other expedients must be taken. Deep cultivation is one of these. The more deeply an alkaline crust is plowGd under the longer will it take to again concentrate at the surface, and in l the interval crop of grain or alfalfa i may be so established as to shade the ! ground and, by thus lessening evapora- ton, still further hinder the s'rise of alkali."
 1t has been said that he who improves q ploH SO that it will go an in. h deeper with the same labor, is among the great est benefactors of mankind, and tho say ing applies with special significance to alkaline lands.
 The temporary benefit thus gained is in measure permanent. for every crop grown on alkaline soil absorbs and re- moves portion of the injurious salts md in time will perceptibly lessen them.
 The successful reclamation within the past three years of certain apparently alkaline fields south of Tenn 'e is an admirable example of the ,ner. ts of this method.
 Another expedient against alkali is urrow planting. Sorghum, for instance, 6 sown in furrows and water turned on. The alkali is in this way dissolved and, or tEe time being, carried below while he seed makes its start. By tie time he alkali concentrates agaln at the sur ace the young plants are sufficiently es- to endure it's presence.
 Still again plants may be chosen which vill withstand alkali Bermuda and alt grass for instance will flourish whore ther grasses will quickly disappear. Alfalfa, sugar beets and sorghum will ndnre much moro alkali than grains, nd among shrubs and trees the pear, fig. oIeander and date alm are most resistant.