ISHUTT-SMITHl 



CONTENT OF SOILS 



235 



the groups now reported on. The crops involved in the work presented 

 last year were: Western Rye Grass, Native Prairie Grass, Oats, Wheat, 

 Onions; those now considered are two series of Wheat and one each 

 of Western Rye Grass and Oats. 



Wheat 



Series VI, Section 7, Township 7, Range 22, West of the 4th 

 Meridian. 



The samples of this series were collected in a wheat field one mile 

 north-east of Gleichen, Alberta. The area had been under irrigation 

 for a number of years, during which time the bare alkali spots had in- 

 creased in size very considerably. The wheat had been irrigated 

 June 15th. The soil was a brown loam of good quality; sub-soil of 

 heavier character, containing a considerable proportion of clay. 

 The yield for the 70 acre field of wheat at date of this visit, July 23rd, 

 1918, was estimated at 40 bushels per acre. One group of samples 

 was from a bare spot, the second in poor growth, 18 feet distant, and 

 the third in the best growth, 48 feet from the same point of collection. 



Wheat 



Sec. 7, Tp. 7, R 22, W. of the 4th Mer. 



Discussion of Results. The alkali of these groups is sodium 

 sulphate, the characteristic salt of "white alkali," but magnesium 

 sulphate is also present in Group 1660, characterized by "No Growth." 

 Chlorides are absent throughout the series. 



