MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 153 



is comparatively innocuous. Sodium chlorid (table salt) cannot be chemi- 

 cally neutralised; but it can be removed mechanically, by scraping the 

 salt crust from the surface, or by "leaching," that is by drenching the 

 land with water, which dissolves the salts and carries them away by a system 

 of under drainage. These methods however have the disadvantage that they 

 carry off the fertilisers as well as the noxious salts. A special warning is 

 given against the bad habit of surface irrigation, which stimulates evaporation 

 and "deep-furrow " is recommended, vide diagrams at p. 38 of Bulletin No. 

 140. It is also pointed out that mere flooding will not wash away the salts, 

 as these soak into the ground at the first touch. 



8. The verdict arrived at from the botanical experiments is emphatically 

 in favour of the Atriplex semibaccata within its own proper habitat. Sum- 

 ming up his conclusions Mr. C. H. Shinn, Inspector of Stations, reports as 

 follows: "This Bulletin (No. 125) shows that the California Station has 

 been experimenting with salt-bushes for 18 years, that the tests of some 

 species have extended over the greater part of the State, and that Atripler, 

 semibaccata is the most generally useful species of all that have been planted, 



although others are worthy of cultivation It is seldom that a plant 



shows so much adaptation to differing circumstances as Atriplex semibaccata." 

 At the same time he warns us that " it cannot endure too heavy summer rains, 

 nor the moist atmosphere of many warm countries," though " within its own 

 realm it is unsurpassed among the gifts of nature to the deserts and alkali 

 wastes which cover so large a part of the earth's surface." In this view he 

 is fully confirmed by Professor Hilgard and the other authorities above 

 referred to. I may quote a few particulars as to the special merits of this 

 plant. First, as to its power of resisting drought : " The total rainfall at 

 the Paso Robles Station for the season of 1897-98 was but 3*24 inches to 



March ; April and May showers brought this to 4'75 By the 1st of 



April, the roadsides were brown and barren. On unirrigated land there was 

 no green fodder-plant excepting salt-bush in the entire region. The growth 

 o£ Atriplex semibaccata on this poor and arid soil was a revelation to every 

 farmer. Seed sown in December, 1897, made a foot of growth by April 12th, 

 branching and covering the ground. After being cut back for sheep feed, it 

 made a second growth of 6 inches by the end of May, and was cut a third 

 time before the end of summer,' 1 (Bulletin No. 125, p. 5). Similar reports 

 for the same dry year (1898) came from the other stations. Thus, in 

 the West Sacramento Valley, " the salt-busb grew from a few inches to 3 

 feet in diameter on hard, dry clay land where even weeds did not grow ; and 

 it volunteered from self-sown seeds in the hard road." Then as regards 

 tolerance of alkali, the Atriplex semibaccata stands "extremely high," sur- 

 passing all plants of similar food value in its power of growth on land highly 

 charged with alkaline salts. It is also hardy in respect of cold, remaining 

 green late in the season, and withstanding a temperature of 14° Fahrenheit. 

 Further the .4, semibaccata is very prolific, self-sown seedlings springing up 

 20 



