Timely Hints for Farmers* 



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This fortunate deficiency is probably in part due to those oc- 

 casional downpours of rain characteristic of the southwest, which 

 suddenly flood the surface of the country and which probably nt 

 such times sweep away large amounts of soluble alkaline salts. 

 This, indeed, has been observed to be true, as shown by the 

 changed character of the salts in solution in Salt River in time of 

 flood, 



The limit for black alkali in a soil varies with the kind of 

 crop and the nature of the soil* Sugar beets, for instance, are 

 more hardy than grains, and plants from arid countries usually 



Fig. 9. Alkali flat, formerly a productive field but ruined by seepage and "rise of 

 alkali.'* 



endure more alkali than those from humid regions. Clay soils, 

 more than sandy ones, are injured in tilth by black alkali. In 

 general, o.i per cent of black alkali in the two top feet of soil will 

 prove destructive to most crops. 



The injurious effects of black alkali are brought about in various 

 Ways; it destroys the tilth of heavy soils, causing them to become 

 cloddy and difficult to cultivate. Also, in presence of water, it 

 dissolves the humus or vegetable mould in the soil and thus al- 



