Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1910-01-28

tain large quantity OF what ID
termed humic acid, which makes acid !
or sour soil, requiring special treat
ment to bring into a condi-
ton in which the agencies,
air, heat and moisture. can
produce soluble plant food. 1t
is necessary to add considerable
amount OF lire to counterfeit this
acidity. 1t would cost sac per acre
for lime enough to put the Cherry
creek meadow or the big meadow
into condition to raise crops In a
reasonable number OF years on that
soil Soils on these meadows also
lack phosphoric acid, most essen
tial element of plant food. Timothy
could not grow on the big meadow
outside the high bank or high land
surrounding It; nor could clover or
alfalfa. The conditions are worse for
alfalfa than clover. Red top would
not grow on the major portion OF the
big meadow because OF the saturated
/ COHullOH Vi the SOIL.
At no time OF year can the lands
between Chatcolet and St. Maries be
drained by gravity. The cost by ar
tificial methods OF draining would
exceed all possible value which would
result from their drainage. To drain
them 1t would be necessary to dixie
4 aftaa 1, - - =
put in drains and pump the water
out. The area from Benwa lake to
Lake Chatcolet would be absolutely
worthless II drained. These lands
have pasture value during the
growing season when taken in CON
neetion with the higher land. Where
more soil Is found and greater per-
centage OF organic matter the wider
leaf grows more generally and that
is generally true with refernce 20
Mr.. Russell's tract.
In the area Immediately east of
Swan lake where the soil is raw
muck, ridges of the charter of the
beg meadow grow.
Prof. Alfred Atkinson OF Boze-
man, Montana, was called and testi-
fed to having made soil survey
! of the big meadow and the Cherry
! creek meadow, commencing on jan
uary 20, and presented map show
Ing sections 1S, Z. s, 8, 16, IT, 81,
% and 15, on which were marked
! locations of soil samples taken and
; seriaily numbered from to 26 in
elusive. The witness presented four
/ bottle samples of typical soils. la
! beled and analysed. Also cross sec
ton maps OF the big meadows and
!. the Cherry creek meadow. Witness
+ did not make a soil survey OF west
ern section of these lands because
/. the water drove him out.
]. The higher banks. containing silt
/. and clay loan, are excellent farm.
K ing soil. The marsh areas absolute.
ly preclude the possibility of the ex.
istence Of agricultural conditions; the
reason being the water logged con.
Z idtIons of the soil and the absence
of the four essential elements neces
+ sary to crop conditions. namely. the
absence of air in soil, low tempera
: ture of soil, the water logged eondi
i tion OF soil, and the absence Of plan
il food in soil. The dried out condi
!. tion of the samples of soil taken an(
: offered IN evidence indicate the
n acid condition of the soils. Hat
q analysed soil on big meadows anC
s Cherry creek and found but three
v tenths of one per cent of lime, where
d as the supply of lime for agricul
n tural purposes ought to be from /.
i to per cent. The witness testi
e mony followed closely that of Prof
/; Gardiner along similar and lik,
/. questions. Witness declared 1t i'm
possible to drain the big meadow
as a central drain of two miles would
have fall OF but one foot In tw,
u miles; practically an impossibilit,
owing to the unstable condition o
D. the soil which would constitute tn
banks of the drain The same condi
= tlon obtains in the Cherry creel
q meadow. Timothy. clover and al
ie falfa can not grow on these land
II outside of the banks; red top grow
:, in moist but not water logged soil
= Feeding value OF hay Is determine,
4 by its protein or muscle and nerv
L nutriment. One ton of alfalfa is wort
Z four to six tons of swamp hay pro
D, dueed on these lands. Hay can no
. probably be fed when Il is WORT
d more than Sc per ton; this fixes
value of about $1.10 per ton 10
marsh hay. Witness testified tina
the fact that many farmers had Gu
this marsh hav ana Fod tha sap,, =