REMOVING FROM SURFACE 159 



face, or even worse, the highest concentration would be 

 in the soil layer where young plants were getting their 

 start. The plowing under of alkali cannot be considered 

 in any sense as getting rid of it. The most that can be 

 claimed is that injury is retarded till drainage or some other 

 permanent means of elimination begins to operate. 



Removing from Surface. In certain cases where most 

 of the salts have accumulated at the surface, it is possible 

 to remove large quantities without the use of covered 

 drains. Surface removal is accomplished by scraping or 

 sweeping off the salt or by dissolving it and then draining 

 off the solution. Scraping and sweeping, in order to be 

 practical, would call for a higher concentration of salt 

 than can be removed by dissolving. 



Where the salt is to be removed in solution, as may be 

 done in exceptional cases, the land may be diked in such 

 a way that water can be made to stand several inches deep 

 over the surface for a number of hours till most of the salt 

 is dissolved. The solution is then drawn off carrying with 

 it a large percentage of the alkali. Water may in this 

 way be added and drawn off several times in order to make 

 the treatment effective. It is not necessary to let the 

 water stand more than a short time since the salt dis- 

 solves quickly and if allowed to stand would reenter the 

 soil with percolating water. This method is not to be 

 recommended under many conditions. 



A method of reclamation somewhat similar to the above 

 requires water to stand on the land for long periods. By 

 this means the salt is gradually washed down into the soil 

 out of the reach of plants. Where conditions are favor- 

 able, however, it is much better to carry the salt entirely 

 out of the land by drainage, since it will rise again if simply 

 washed down. 



