The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1908-10-09
BLACK ALkACI.
Professor Elliot Makes Suggestions
for Overcoming Trouble.

From Washington State College. Pullman.
In letter addressed to farmer
residing near Walla Walla, Professor
Elliott discussed black alkali, and its
interference with the growth of al
falfa; plants which are tolerative of
alkali; grasses and plants which tend
to crowd out alfalfa, and means pre-
ventive of this; and certain pest
which is damaging the leaves of apple
trees grown by this farmer. Briefed
somewhat, the letter follows:
81 understand from your letter, that
you are having difficulty with the black
alkali, which interferes with the start
ing of alfalfa. The land in question is
undoubtedly so supplied with water
near the surface that there is consider
able evaporation, which has caused the
alkali to rise to the surface. This
trouble would be observed in all such
land, and the best way to prevent it is
by surface draining. This would per-
nit the washing out of the alkali from
the surface through the drains, and
think you would have sufficient rainfall
in the winter to accomplish this. The
drains should be from two to three feet
below the surface, which would not
interfere with the cultivation of al
falfa, as the water level would be at
the distance beneath the surface of the
lower level of the drains.
II suspect that if you are able to
get start of alfalfa, it would be able
to overcome the effect of the alkali,
which I assume is strongest near the
surface; but with the water level so
near the surface as it is, the roots
would not have any encouragement to
penetrate deeply, and would probably
stop at the water table. 1t might be
possible to counteract the effect of the
alkali by the use of considerable ma
nure, or some chemical fertilizer, but
| very much doubt the value of such
treatment.
"We have seen some excellent
stands of alfalfa secured by seeding
alfalfa in the fall. Fall seeding should
be done, early enough to secure the full
benefit of the fall rains, and thereby
make growth, which would insure
that the alfalfa would pass safely
through the first winter, while the
plants were somewhat tender. l think
that in the warm section of the state,
where you are located, that this would
be perfectly possible; and it would
have the further advantage of starting
during the time when the alkali would
be less abundant, due to it's being
washed out by the winter rains.
Regarding plants which might be
tolerative of alkali, the station would
inform you that there are several, but
that it is quite difficult to obtain the
seed of such in any quality. There is
plant known as salt grass (Distichlis
Maritima), which has a small seed,
and is very coarse, which is somewhat
common, but which seeds very spar
ingly; consequently, getting start of
this grass is very difficult. 1t does
not make first class forage but stock
will eat it. It's chief value is its abil-
ity to grow in alkaline places, thereby
absorbing the alkali.
"It is said that the Australian salt
bush will do the same. This plant re-
sembles tumble weed, and the station
has been informed that it is becoming
quite pest in the neighborhood of
Walla Walla. Therefore the expert
ment station does not advise you to
try it.
"The salt grass to which you refer
is entirely different from the Iowa
quack grass. You will find that blue
grass, as well as other grasses, will
frequently crowd out alfalfa; in fact,
throughout this region we find that
after six or seven years the alfalfa be-
comes so crowded out by other grasses
that the ground has to be worked over,
or plowed up. Frequent disking will
control this to some extent. doubt
if alfalfa will grow in any soil where
the water table is as near as three
feet to the surface.
"The pest which you mention is un-
doubtedly the aphis, or apple lice,
which affect the leaves. They are
sucking insects, and absorb so much of
the sap that the leaves curl up and ul-
timately die. 1t is difficult to control
wire worms when they once get
start. 1t is possible that treatment
of air-slacked lime around the plants,
or even an application of salt, might
have beneficial effect. Either of
these applications would need to be
made with great care"
Query-Will you kindly advise US
concerning the use Of dust sprayers in
the fruit raising sections of the Pacific
slope? Has their success been uni
form, or otherwise?
Ans.-There is peculiar condition
existing at the present time relative to
the use uf dust sprays in the several
fruit growing sections of the North
west. Quite number of orchardists
are using the dust sprays at the pres
ent time, and are successful to the
extent of keeping their fruit almost
entirely free from insect pests, reduc-
ing the amount of injury to less than
one per cent. Other experiments have
e.. lol FL