Aug. 13, 1917 



Origin of Alkali 



341 



The soluble carbonate in the ash is nearly the same as in the shale, 

 while the magnesium has slightly increased. The calcium has nearly 

 doubled, while the chlorin has more than doubled. The sulphates have 

 increased by over three times. There are i ,073 pounds of calcium bicar- 

 bonate present, 2 1 ,743 pounds of calcium sulphate, 14,035 pounds of mag- 

 nesium sulphate, 99,910 pounds of sodium sulphate, 2,380 pounds sodium 

 chlorid, and 3,623 pounds of sodium nitrate — that is, in this ashlike 

 material the concentration of salts has become such that 7.13 per cent of 

 the total material consist of the sulphates, chlorid, nitrates, and carbon- 

 ates of calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium. This accumulation 

 has been brought about in the virgin native condition by the concentrat- 

 ing action of the limited rainfall. It is strongly indicative of the more 

 intensive action which may be brought under the irrigated conditions 

 due to the leaky irrigation ditch and the rise of the ground water. 



SOLUBLE SALTS IN THE UNCULTIVATED SOIL AND CLAY 



Twelve samples of the clay or soil resulting from the weathering of 

 the shale in place were collected and submitted to analysis. This clay 

 or soil has never been cultivated and does not even support a virgin 

 crop of grass or weeds. These samples are fairly representative of the 

 •kind of soil formed in place from the shale. The results are recorded 

 in Table IV. 



Table IV. — -Soluble salts in uncultivated soils and clay 

 [Results expressed as pouads per 2,000,000 of material] 



Field No. 



277. 

 263. 

 87.. 



131- 

 96.. 



85.. 

 146. 

 121. 

 125. 



143- 



Average 



Location of sample. 



Vernal, Utah 



Thompson, Utah. .. 

 Green River, Utah. 



Emer}% Utah 



Price, Utah 



Green River, Utah. 



Emery, Utah 



do 



do 



do.... 



Cretaceous. 



Calcium 



(Ca). 



51.328 



4,973 

 4, 812 

 8, 829 



7,953 

 8,754 

 5,694 

 8,260 



160 



5,593 



Mag- 

 nesium 

 (Mg). 



2, 132 

 233 

 839 



1,019 



495 

 7,656 



^ 525 



Trace. 



769 



1,556 



Carbonic 

 acid 

 (CO3). 



, 120 

 760 



383 



800 

 400 



367 

 920 

 620 

 920 

 , 200 



749 



Sulphuric 

 acid 

 (SO3). 



58, 040 

 36,376 

 15,968 



43, 744 



28, 090 



36, 184 



112,880 



34, 704 



36, 672 



9,480 



41,213 



Chloria 

 (Cl). 



2,410 



Trace. 



599 



425 



Trace. 



Do. 



4,253 



284 



Trace. 



3,800 



176 



The amount of calcium in the clay is slightly higher than in the shale, 

 while the magnesium is slightly less. The carbonic acid is practically 

 constant in the shale and clay. The sulphuric acid has materially 

 increased, as has also the chlorin. 



As an average, there are 1,021 pounds of calcium bicarbonate in the 

 clay, 18,091 pounds of calcium sulphate, 7,780 pounds of magnesium 

 sulphate, 9,411 pounds of sodium sulphate, 1,999 pounds of sodium 



