BOTANY. 



221 



botanical specimens, a number of samples of water, and native seeds, 

 roots, etc. 



From a careful study of the plants collected it was found that most 

 of them were confined to particular soils, at least when in the wild 

 state. These plants are therefore designated as characteristic alkali 

 plants, the most conspicuous of which are Sesuvium, samphire, salt- 

 wort, Kochia califomica, yerba mansa (Anemopis calif ornica), Nitropila 

 occidentalism tall tar weed (Centromadia pungens), several species of 

 Atriplex, alkali heath (Franlcenia grandifolia campestris), tussock grass, 

 salt grass, fine top salt grass (Sporobolus asperifolius), bushy golden- 

 rod, grease wood (Allenrolfea occidental is), and several species of Tissa. 

 In addition to these were found a number of introduced plants which 

 occur as weeds and which tolerate the abnormal conditions of soil and 

 climate. Among these are the common sunflower, sow thistle, mallow, 

 bitter melilot, plantain, Bermuda grass, and Erigcron canadensis. In 

 all there are known to be at least 107 species of plants natives of Cali- 

 fornia which are restricted to alkali soils. 



One of the striking features of the alkali plats is said to be the gre- 

 garious nature of the plants found upon them. Some species are rare 

 and may be described as local, while others occur in distinct belts or 

 zones of vegetation forming the principal and often exclusive vegeta- 

 tion over large areas, while at least two species, salt grass and alkali 

 he?ith, may be called cosmopolitan. 



Particular studies were made of the different belts or zones as indi- 

 cated by the plant growth, and samples of soil in these characteristic 

 belts were collected and analyzed. The minimum and maximum of 

 alkali salts tolerated by each plant are given, although the figures are 

 not necessarily from one and the same soil. The observations and 

 analyses when summarized show among other results the following: 



Pounds of alkali per acre in one foot of soil from the different belts. 



Belts. 



Scrub saltbush (Atiiplex poly- 



carpa) 



Bushy Golden-rod (Bigelovia ve- 



■•leta) 



Saltwort (Sueda sp.) 



Tussock grass (Sporobolus air- 



oldes) 



Grease wood (Allenrolfea occi- 



dentalis) 



Samphire (Salicornia sp.) 



Sulphates. 



Min. Max. 



Pounds 

 Trace. 



680 

 36, 000 



7,440 

 55, 320 



Pounds. 

 37, 880 



15, 360 

 176, 000 



146, 000 

 176, 000 



Carbonates. 



Min. Max 



Pounds 

 240 



None. 

 360 



160 

 320 



Pounds 

 19, 000 



7,480 

 24, 240 



13, 480 



3,400 

 24, 240 



Chlorids. 



Min. Max. 



Pounds. 

 None. 



None. 

 26, 000 



10, 400 

 5,560 



Pounds. 

 21, 360 



3, 720 

 105, 800 



55, 680 



85, 880 

 105, 800 



Total salts. 



Min. Max 



Pounds. 



840 



1,800 

 74, 480 



6,600 



27, 320 

 61, 240 



Pounds. 

 78, 240 



24, 320 

 306, 040 



155, 280 



194. 760 

 306, 040 



The last two belts indicated in the table contain such a large amount 

 of injurious salts as to seem incapable of profitable reclamation. Of 

 the belt characterized as the tussock-grass belt, while the total content 

 of alkali in the soil is high, the grass, which grows abundantly, is said 



