The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1910-03-31

ghum and sugar beets are recommend
ed for correctives OF alkali soils, but
there are many other plants that may
be used for the same purpose, such as
asparagus, onions, sweet clover, aud
among fruits. pears, figs, pomegran-
ates and date palms, all OF which with
stand the action Of alkalis which
would kill cereals and small fruits.
The reason 10 that all sugar-produc-
ing plants require large quantities Of
alkali, particularly the carbonate, for
startch is produced by the decomposi-
ton OF carbonic acid, which the plant
breAthes In through it's leaves, and
takes up from the soil through its
roots. Now, taking the carbon out OF
the alkalis renders them mucous, Just
the same as does vinegar or acettC
acid, which is also always forming In
plants that produce sugar. Not to be
misunderstood, 1t may be we'll to say
here that this starch is TRANSFORMER
into sugar, woody fiber and cellular
tissue. When It comes to raising 20 to
tons OF sugar beets per acre, carrying
IL to % per cent Of sugar, and reflect
that 100 parts OF the green syrup OF
sugar beets carbonated show 9.18 per
cent of alkali ashes, and that the
leaves will show nearly as much more,
it is simple sum in arithmetic to de-
monstarte that 1t will not take many
such crops to remove the alkalis, and
make 1t necessary to add more volun-
tarily as a fertilizer Indeed, in nom
alkali soils 1t Is necessary to add al
kalis as fertilizers in cultivating beetG.
Within two or three years the alkali-
devouring plants will have removed 30
much of the alkali from the soil that
barley and wheat can be introduced,
and afterwards good stand Of alfal-
| ia secured. Ali of these attempts at
reclamation are, In the opinion Of the
author, equivalent to q rotation of
crops, since they benefit and streng-
then the soil by taking away elements
| that certain plants do not require, az
well as add those which they need.
The following general rules to fol-
low in retaining alkali soil may be
considered as reorganization OF what
has been said in this chapter, and in
all the authorities on the subject:
First-Insure good and rapid drain
age to depth of three or four feet, TN
which case flooding the land with
i water is a simple and sure method Of
washing out the alkali.
! Second-Plow deep; say twelve
| inches.
Third-Furrow land and plant sOr-
4 ghum in the bottom of the burrows.
i Irrigate heavily, and gradually cult
yate down the ridges to uniformity.
Fourth-After two years in sorghum
/ Cor sugar beets, etc deeply plowed
each year and cultivated frequently
plant barley Have the surface Of the
ground well leveled, and flood heavily
before planting.
Fifth-Seed to any desired crop, for
If the land is at all porous stand OF
any ordinary crop can be secured, ex-
cept in the worst spots.
What has been said with reference
to the black and white alkalis, is APP
plicable to the other alkali salts, the
chlOrides common salt, etc.), nitrates,
muriateS, etc, most of which are bene-
i fetal and necessary to plants in rea-
sonable quantities, but deleterious and
destructive in excess, but we repeat,
not so dangerous as the sodas.
i The processes OF chemical transfor-
nations are always going on in nature,
/ and every soil, together with the
plants or crops growing upon it, con-
stitute vast laboratory. in which ma
terials of an almost infinite variety are
In constant state of manufacture,
and by acquiring even superficial
knowledge of what nature is doing and
trying to do. man will be better able to
divert nature in his direction to his
profit Nature is perfectly willing that
this should be done, and if she is di-.
verted from her purpose and does too
much or too little, it is because the
man behind the pillow is looking the
other way.
1t is reasonable to suppose that
i plants which will grow in heavily
charged alkali soils, do so because
they have an affinity for the alkaline
of them. Whence 1t is clear that, by
continually growing, cutting and re-
salts. and take up large quantities
moving this "alkali vegetation" the
excess salts in the soil will be gradu-
ally eliminated and thus the soil be
fitted for the growth of other desired
plants. This is the law and the gospel
in the case of the commonly known
salt meadows" of which there are es-
timated to be In the United States over
one hundred thousand square miles.
! The attempt to reclaim these lands in
this manner has proved successful in
Germany and Holland, and has passed
beyond the mere experimental stage in
the United States. Wherefore the
| query: Is not the same law applicable
to the overcharged alkali lands of the
!; arid and semi-arid regions ?"-Irriga-
ton Age.