Imperial Valley press., 1922-04-13
GYPSUM OF VALLEY
IS VALUABLE FOR
FERTILIZER

In view Of the important fact that
there is in Imperial Valley perhaps the
largest deposit of gypsum to be found
Ianywhere in the world and that this
deposit is about to be brought onto the
market, the following from the Cultiva
tor relating to the use of gypsum as soil
restorer is of the utmost interest:
| The general farmer is using more fer
tilizer and applying more of those ma
terials which correct unsatisfactory soil
| conditions than ever before. At one
time Galifornians said that manurc5 is
! Doison'' to California soil. They not
only said it but they were honest in
! the belief AID proceeded TO haul thou
sands of loads Of stable manure and
spread it upon sandy roadways in order
to subdue the dust and name the roads
passablc. Even California soils have
proven their need aof upbuilding, and
no more manure is hauled to roadways
but is most carefully saved.
If an alfalfa field which will yield
say five tons of good hay, by appiica-
ton of fertilizer or gypsum may have
.ts production increased by ton or
two tons, or possibly five tons, the
owner is making long money if his
fertilizer investment is not too great
One OF the best rorrectives for the soil
IF the alfalfa field is GYPSUM. Some
have applied 500 pounds and others q
ton or more and made great increase in
alfalfa productions. 5a # i
The heavy clay or adobe soil met with
so frequently in the western states con-
tains large quantities of iron, aluminium
md magnesium silieates: These com
pounds in combination produce weak
natural cement. Such soils expand on
wotting and shrink on drying out, thus
creating surface cracks. This is called
checking. Checking is very injurious
to the plants. Roots are frequently
broken when the surface soil cracks.
this checking in very modified or ex
tremely slight degree is sometimes of
benefit in permitting the light, air and
water to circulate freely. Add gypsum
to this type Of soil and u peculiar chem
ical action takes place. The gypsum
breaks up the combination Of heavy
:lay, compounds into simple substances.
This makes the soil friable and open,
mellow, allowing light, air and water to
circulate freely, with consequent bene
fit to the crop.
Sandy soils are usually made up of
partially decomposed granite or rock
and are very porous in nature. When
gypsum is added to sandy soil it plays
an important part in further deeom-
posing the granite or rock, and thus
makes the soil more compact. Gran
ite frequently contains considerable
amounts of potash, which when re-
leased by gypsum becomes immediately
available to the plant.
Gypsum, the soil standardizer, thus
serves variety of purposes in adding
calcium and sulphate- sulphur, also in
releasing potash to the soil for plant
food, and of opening up or compacting
the soil to the most ideal condition
Gypsum works on all soils, no matter
how extreme their condition, and
tends to produce standard and ideal
soil for agricultural purposes.
Owing to its rhemieal action when
used as, fertilizer, gypsum iberates
potash and phosphate from the insol-
uble condition they are frequently in,
and at the same time supplies the vital
calcium and sulphate-sulphur to all
plant life. By standardizing the soil
it allows the light, air and water to
circulate to best advantage. This is
Of great assistance to the plant and is
necessary not only to plant life but to
the favorable bacterial. life in the soil.