The Churchill county standard. (Fallon, Nev.) 1908-1920, 1913-04-16
ABOUT THE ALKALI QUESTION
F. B. Headley Tells of Various
Forms of Deposits Found
Here.
Formation and Character of Alkali
Soils.


/ soil contains so much alkali as to
hinder materially or altogether pre-
vent plant growth. In humid sec
tions the alkali is washed out as
fast as formed, so there is never an
excess of soluble salts in parts of
the world where there Is a heavy an
nual rainfall. But in comparative
ly rainless section, such as the True
kee Carson Project, these salts tend
to increase in amount because of the
! fact that they are never dissolved
and carried off by the rain water.
Those salts that occur on the pro-
ject in such quantities as to be HARM
full are the following: Sodium car
Donate; sodium bicarbonate, sodium
chloride and sodium sulfate Other
harmful salts ocur but are not to he
found in sufficient quantities IS to
be considered
! Sodium Carbonate.
i This is the most harmful OF the
salts named above. 1t Is the salt
commonly called "black" alkali
when it is seen where 1t has form
ed crust on the around, but when
it is put on the market for washing
purposes 1t is called soda" or "sal
soda" When pure it is a white salt,
but when It comes in contact with
moist organic matter it becomes
brown or dark brown, due to dis.
solved organic matter. Because of
!his characteristic colc- under these
circumstances 1t gets rhe name black
,'Iali.
Black alkali is found IN some
parts of the project and where 1t Co.,
ours it causes considerable damage
to crops. An exceedingly small
amount, .05 of one per cent will
check the growth of most culti-
waited crops, and 1 of l per cent
will generally prove fatal. When
present in such minute quantities 1t
is not usually visible and TIE grow
er of the crops may not suspect is
presence. Sometimes there MAJ be
visible crust at the surface of the
ground and yet not enough III the
soil to materially injure the roots
of the plants. Not every dark stain
or crust on the surface is black al
kali, and many farmers are iecciy-
ed irto thinking Il is present when
there is really no trace of it in their
soil, just as others think they have
no black alkali when a chemical test
may show its presence in large
amounts.
When black alkali in sufficient
quantity comes in contact VITA plant
roots 1t dissolves them or "eats them
face in sufficient quantities to sirdle
the growing plants. Again it may be
found in the subsoil with no trace of
it in the upper soil to a depth CT S
to 10 inches. The result is a dwarf
ed crop because the roots rot off
when they get down to the alkali
sub soil. On this type of land per-
feet stand of alfalfa or otheI crop
may be obtained but it will not
make vigorous growth and II suf-
fers considerably for water betw cen
the regular irrigation periods. Fre-
quent irigations may keep the alfalfa
in an apparently healthy condition.
but ii cannot be made to grow salts
factorily.
When black alkali is the cause of
this dwarfed condition, an examin-
alton of the alfalfa plants general
ly shows that they are without tap
roots, but with the side roots well
developed. The taproots could net
grow down into the alkaline soil,
consequently the plants are support
ed only by tho side roots, which ex-
plains the SLOW growth and inabili-
ty to stand droutn. Black alkali
produces certain characteristic eff
fects upon the 50 |. 1t puddles the
SOIL making 1t inipervious to water,
and often causes formation of haT d
pan at a little distance below the
surface. 1t is the imperviousness of
the black alkali soil that makes this
salt so hard to eliminate.
Bicarbonate of Soda.
Bicarbonate of soda is no so HARM
full to plant roots as the sodium
carbonate, but under certain condi-
tions 1t changes to sodium carbon
ate, so that 1t may be called "poten-
tial black alkali," 1t is therefore al
ways considered dangerous salt
and is often grouped by the soil
chemist together with the sodium
carbonate.
Sodium Chloride.
Sodium Chloride is less harmful
than the sodium carbonate, but when
there is more than 3 of l per cent
in the soil the common crops begin
to show the i'll effects. 1t does not
puddle the soil and can consequently
be quite easily washed out, provided
the soil is not impervious due to
other causes.
Sodium Sulfate.
Sodium sulfate is the least HARM
full of the salts named. 1t does not
n.uno .1,,J JIt,O nf tho coil . 10 tt a