The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1912-01-18

study. think and watch. Some men
said that the good spots we're where
blue gras grew in tae original 500
sad the bad spots we.e where the
bite sras grew IL the original 500
observation and perhaps t-ue. But
WHY did the blue grass grow only
in spotsc An examination revealed
a significant fact that on many OF
these spots that did not produce 3
crop some weeds were making & Wig
orops growth. Why was the weed
able TO thrive on a water supply that
would not support life in the plant?
Was this failure due TO q weakness
in the plant, & defect in the soil, or
some quality in the seed not possess
ed ny the plant? Was the loss OF
the crop due 10 3 specified cause. or
a combination Of causes? Something
is known Of the lie habit of both
the plant ana the weed but very lit
tie. or nothing, IS known about the
soil, OF what is it composed? Why
Will it support the lie of the weed
and not support E valuable plant?
Does it contain q substance that
poisons some plants and has no eff
fect on others? Ii it does can this
poisonous substance b gotten rid OF
without injury TO the soil and with
benefit 10 the plant? The first pro-
cess in search OF an answer TO those
questions viii be a soil examination
to find out all that the soil expert
or chemist may know. Last summer
when these u%nfavorable conditions
were discovered in Sanborn county
the state agronon1ist was asked 10
make IN Investigation. He spent
one day in the County aud borings
were made with a soil auger in four
townships. Samples OF soil were
taken from these spots, bota good
ard bad, and an examination of them
made in the laboratories at the Col
lege at BrooAings, From his report
we take the following pertinent
facts. The borings were made after
harvest and after = rain. The first
set CT samples Was taken from Nor
man Blumenberg's farm III Fairyiew
Township. Sample number II was
taken from near 2 tile drain but not
near enough to carry oil the water
IN a wct year and eihere the CROPS
failed last year, At this point 1t was
found that in the surface, sub-sur-
face and sub-soil there was & total
of nearly % tons CT alkali per acre.
Sample number two was taken on
high ground near the place from
which number one was taken; the
crop had done faily we'll; no alkali
trouble and no alkali found except
in the sub-soil and that not in q po-
sition to Go harm. Sample number
three was taken on the ame farm
about a quarter of Il mile from the
place from which the first two we're
taken. Crop good. Only q trace
OF alkali. Samples numbered four
and FIVE were taken from fields
which had good natural drainage. No
trouble with alkali. Sample number
six was taken q lcw spot in a
field where the corn was poor. Al
kali in the sub-surface and in the
sub-soil. IN regard It the FIRST ct
these samples the Agronomist says:
One small bit CT evidence must not
be taken as conclusive but on top o
the Information already gained from
previous sources relative to alkal.
trouble and its remedy | DO not know
OF any better evidence 10 s~ubstantiate
the statement, than these three sam
pies, that the remedy for alka!i trou
bles is THOROUGH DRAINAGE
Anything that will prevent evapora
ton as shade, mulch and frequen'
cultivation will h Up some bug vii
pc OIL no permanent 'peueLs, ~
one best remedy is tile drainage o
sufficient capacity to carry the aka
II away. In times OF drouth the al
kal! is brought 10 the surface by th'
capillary water and left on the sur
face when the water ~evaporates. Th'
alkalisalts have an affinity for wa
Ter and there being no other mois
ture in reach 1t attacks the juices Q
the plants to supply This demand. Al
the cultivated pants are easy
marks for the alkali. Some OF I'll
weeds are protected with a thick
) tough covering Which enable them t
/ resist the attack OF the alkali an
, thus make q good growth after th
: corn and wheat has been killed OFF.
Quoting again from the Agronomist
report on these samples he says: Ct
I would impress upon farmers and ott
: ers interested that soil and crop il
vestigations should be i~nterprete
e broadly and lot narrowly. Away