DISCUSSION OF PLANTS 65 



includes beets, mangles, samphire, saltwort, salt-bush,, 

 and greasewood. Some of the smaller families such as 

 Frankeniaceae, Plumb aginaceae, Rhizophoraceae, and Tama- 

 ricaceae are noted for the alkali resistance of most of the 

 species. Some other families, notably Gramineac, Cru- 

 ciferae, and Compositae, contribute some' of the more 

 important plants found to do well on alkali lands. 



Discussion of Plants. "Inkweed, or saltwort, is a 

 perennial shrub with a small, fleshy, stem-like leaf. Each 

 winter the plant dies down close to the ground leaving 

 behind a dark-colored bush" (5). It is found on some 

 of the worst alkali lands of California (i), in one in- 

 stance being found on soil containing 38,000 parts per 

 million of total salt in the top foot of soil, and it has 

 been found growing luxuriantly with as high as 32,000 

 parts per million of total salts in the top foot of soil. 

 Where growing luxuriantly, the soil has been found to 

 contain 837 parts per million of sodium carbonate, and 

 3313 parts per million of sodium sulphate in the upper 

 three feet of soil. It thus indicated a soil with a high 

 content of black alkali. Where found in abundance the 

 soil is generally of a heavy, sandy-loam or a clay-loam 

 texture occurring on low-lying lands and reclaimable only 

 at great expense. Because of the presence of black alkali 

 the soil is puddled so badly that rainwater generally evapo- 

 rates from it before it will penetrate. When found on the 

 higher lands, the soil is generally underlain with a hard- 

 pan near the surface. 



Tussock grass (Sporobolus airoides) sometimes forms a 

 coarse, matty or tree-like growth, the trunks of which are 

 often from 1 8 to 20 inches high. It forms feathery purple 

 panicles in late summer and is relished by stock better 

 than most any other native alkali-resistant plant. Ani- 



