The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1910-03-31
AlK|Nl SOILS.
Their Nature, TreAtment, and Rccla-
nation.

sential constituents.
Originally, they were brought or
carried into the soil along with the
other elements which form its NOR
ganic bulk, by the pulverization OF
rocks and minerals, the deposition Of
inorganic sediment held in solution by
water, by glacial action, by seepage
from rivers, and numerous other ways.
These elements, IL unacted upon,
would forever remain In an insoluble;
inert condition, incapable OF exerting
any influence upon each other, or OF
performing any functions whatever;
in which case, however, there could
not be any plant life OF any kind. But
nature comes In and begins action up
on these elements and changes their
form so that they may become capable
of aiding In the production OF plants
by furnishing them with the food to
make them grow and ripen their fruit
or seed.
First, we have the atmosphere, or
air, which, however arid the region,
contains oxygen In very large pro-
portion, and this oxygen attacks the
| inorganic elements, transforming them
into various substances, or rather fits
them to be acted upon by other sub
| bLhuCG1 % IAAb lACy may UCSOiAC uCC-
| full or otherwise. Thus, oxygen acts
upon potash, soda, lime and magnesia
to form what are known as alkaline
bases" that is, the foundations for the
salts" which are beneficial In mo-
derate quantities but injurious In ex-
cess. The forces of nature are always
at work, regardless Of the quantity OF
the product; certain laws are followed,
and these laws keep on operating in
certain unvarying ways, according to
la fixed program, which is never
changed unless man comes in and
compels a change. The following
table will enable the reader to under
stand in a general way how nature
works upon the elements in the soil
through oxygen:
Oxygen.
Unites with Potassium and forms
Potash.
Unjtes with Sodium and forms Soda.
Unites with Calcium and forms
Lime
Unites with Magnesium and form
Magnesia.
The oxygen acts upon the above four
metals just as it does on iron exposed
to the air, when it forms the famil-
iarly known rust" which is technic-
ally called oxide of iron" So the
potash, soda, lime and magnesia are
really the earth oxides, the four of
them being alkaline bases" that is,
the foundations upon which to COM
pound all the various kinds of alkalis.
These oxides" or bases" in them
selves, would be of very little use or
harm while in that state, but the oxy-
gen in the air and everywhere else at
tacks the other essential elements in
the soil as we'll as the potash, soda,
lime and magnesia, that is, the silicon,
carbon, sulphur and phosphorus, but
instead of converting them into oxides,
or alkaline bases, turns them into
"acids." The following table will ex-
plain:
Unites with Silicon and forms Sill
icic Acid.
Unites with Carbon and forms Car
bonic Acid
Unites with sulphur and forms Sui
phuric Acid.
Unites with Phosphorus and forms
Phosphoric Acid.
Here is where the whole trouble
about alkali soils begins, for these
acids mentioned in the last table
which may be called mineral, or me-
tallic, acids, have a great affinity for
the alkaline bases mentioned in the
first table, and greedily seize upon
them, forming salts" AS they are
commonly called When these mineral
acids attack the alkaline bases, this is
what happens:
Silicic Acid forms Silicate of Potash
Soda, Lime and Magnesia.
Carbonic Acid forms Carbonate OF
Potash, Soda, Lime and Magnesia.
Sulphuric Acid forms Sulphate OF
Potash, Soda, Lime and Magnesia
Phosphoric Acid forms Phosphate Of
Potash, Soda, Lime and Magnesia.
1t is the carbonate of soda, or What
is commonly called sal soda" which
makes BLACK alkali land" and sui
phate Of Soda or "Glauber salt" which
. constitutes. white alkali land" There
are numerous other salts formed by
combining the alkaline basas and The
mineral acids, but sufficient are giveI
here to make the principle clear; tt
enumerate the others would require
volume, and complicate too mucl
the idea sought to be conveyed in .thi!
work. Moreover their action is thu
same as the sodas, though in a mucl
less harmful degree.
So far, water has been kept in thu
background, as unnecessary to thu
formation of these salts, but wheI
water is brought in the distribution O
these alkaline salts is largely aided
Tor the alkalis are extremely soluble
in water, the latter taking up nearl.
| its own weight of the salts. Whe'
this HAPPENS. the alkalis are carried
wherever tho water penetrates, AM
1 when it comes to the surface it eva
| porates into the atmosphere, on
leaves the alkali salts behind to ac
| cumulate, until the soil is ruined fel
| purposes of vegetation unless they arr
removed, or got rid of in some wa.
and the soil thus reclaimed" as it il
| called.
| In this inorganic matter, plant lif,
is impossible. AS has already beef
said, organic matter in combination
| with the inorganic matter, is essentia
| to plants of any kind, and here origi
| mates phenomenon as common as tn
4 ~. e. -