10 
capable of reclamation. For this portion, tile drainage is recom- 
mended as of general application. There is a constant and plentiful 
water supply of good quality for irrigation, which may be obtained 
without the construction of costly dams and storage reservoirs so 
frequently required in many of the irrigated districts. 
The soil is of good texture and the land lies so as to be easily irri- 
gated. Furthermore, its proximity to the metropolis of the State 
makes it more valuable than if it were far removed from a commer- 
cial center. The excess of salts is the principal obstacle in the way 
of this area being profitably farmed. The problem, therefore, re- 
solves itself into how to get rid of the salts. There is no antidote 
for them, except in the case of sodium carbonate or black alkali. 
For this, gypsum is a corrective. Unfortunately, where there is an 
excess of sodium carbonate there is also an excess of the other salts, 
and to convert the black alkali into white alkali by the use of gyp- 
sum would still leave an excess of salts in the soil. There is only 
one feasible way of getting rid of these salts, and that is by provid- 
ing a thorough system of under drainage and washing them out by 
flooding. 
Surface washing without drainage is of little avail, for the first 
application of water dissolves the salts and they pass into the ground 
only to return to the surface when evaporation commences. If tile 
drains are present the dissolved salts will pass through them and 
thus be carried away, so that further damage from them need not 
be feared. The question that must be ansWered is, Will it pay to 
reclaim these lands? This will be determined by the present value 
of the land, the cost of reclaiming, and the value of the land after 
being reclaimed. 
An estimated value for the land of fifteen dollars per acre, While 
much less than some of it is being held for, is more than its real 
value, which, in its present condition, is merely nominal. Good farm- 
ing land on the east side of the Jordan River, having a water right 
and free from alkali, can easily be sold at from seventy-five to one 
hundred dollars per acre. There is no reason why the alkali land 
West of the river should not be pretty nearly as valuable when re- 
claimed and a good water right secured. 
The cost of drainage will vary somewhat, according to the char- 
acter of the soil and the price of labor and material. The Jordan 
sandy loams and Jordan loams will be most easily reclaimed because 
of their lighter texture. The distance between drains Will be deter- 
mined by the texture of the soil. The more open the texture and 
structure of the soil, the more readily will water pass through it and 
the greater can be the distance between drains. The depth should 
be three feet or more. The rate of removing the salts Will depend 
principally upon the rate of movement of the soil waters. 
