The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1913-09-19
Reclaiming the Low,
aWhife Land'' Flats.

hecialmlng tne Low,
"White Land Flats.
The vast body of low, fiat, nom
productive land lying in Western Ore
gon, is exceptionally rich in plant
food, and by system Of under drain
age and suitable cropping may be
made to yield large crops, is the SUBJ
stance of the reply of Professor H.
D. Scudder, Oregon Agricultural col
lege agronomist, to request for in
formation on the subject of commit
tee on lowland drainage. The profess
sor has repeatedly urged that this
land, now producing little or nothing
perhaps $1.50 per acre annually as
sheep pasture could most proftably
be reclaimed by under-drainage and
proper cropping. His laboratory in
Investigations have shown the white
land soil to contain good percentages
of silt and clay, and yet to be not at
all difficult to handle or work if put
into proper condition.
A comparison of the white lands
with the red hill lands surrounding
them is drawn by Professor Scudder.
By laboratory analysis he has shown
Enthusiastically that the red hill lands
are heavier in clay than the white
lands, and yet they can be worked
nearly all seasons of the year without
injury. Their richness is due to their
silt and clay content which comes
from the basaltic rock and is rich in
potash and phosphoric acid, and has
great endurance under heavy cropping
and in retaining moisture.
The difference between the red land
and white land is the difference in
drainage. 1t is this difference which
causes the striking divergence in col
or, the iron compounds which give the
red color to the hill land having brok-
en- down under the swamp conditions
of the low lands, causing them to lose
color and fade into the condition
which gives them their name, "white
lands" The whiteness is the result
and sign of excessive wetness. Water
stands on them until late in the spring,
the water table in summer is but
short distance below the surface, and
the soil lacks aeration. This makes
the seeding late and causes shallow
roofing, followed by early drying out,
giving low production for these
soils.
"Such soils suffer from lack of bac-
terial and chemical activity, which
can only proceed in porous, well-aired
soil, and but little of the plant food
becomes available during the growing
season. Further, the soil acids ac-
cumulate, so that clovers, the most
valuable plants, cannot thrive, while
sorrels, inferior grasses and water
loving plants, such as sedges, multiply
and occupy the ground with their
worthless and harmful growth. This,
in turn, causes low content in or
ganic matter at present.
"With all these unfavorable condi-
tions it is no wonder that this soil, so
rich in plant food, is practically life
less and worthless. The removal of
the excessive water that causes this is
the only remedy required to bring this
soil into condition of great produc-
tivity.
Although contrary to the general
opinion, those who have had exper-
ience in these things know that the
white lands may be reclaimed by un-
der drainage with tile-the only prac-
tical and economical method of remov-
ing excessive water. Where a good
outlet is available the cost of under
drainage should not exceed $50 per
acre. 1t would doubtless be less in
many cases. Since the present mar
ket value of the lands is comparative
ly low, an outlay of $50 per acre to
bring them into productivity would be
profitable investment.
"Where no outlet is near the lands
to be drained, the individual farmer
cannot succeed. | believe the only
method of reclaiming the entire area
in any district is to open up district
or county drainage ditch, which would
provide good outlet for the individ-
ual tile systems of the different
owners. Recent legislation has provid-
ed legal steps for bringing about the
necessary organization for carrying on
this work.
"After such an outlet ditch has been
constructed, the individual farmers
who are to tile drain into it should
continue to work together. Ditching
machines, too costly for the individual,
may be purchased and used co-opera-
lively for ditching, greatly reducing
the cost of tiling. In the same way,
the land may be farmed comparatively
until brought into condition of good
tilth by proper cultivation and rota-
tion of crops. Traction engines and
plows could be purchased by the dis
trict and operated on the whole tract
until it is reclaimed. During this
time the humus-producing crops could
be grown at profit.
"There are many thousands of acres
of this unreclaimed land in the North
west, capable of supporting intensive
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