208 CROPS FOR ALKALI LAND 



much alkali for alfalfa, and similar crops. Being a large 

 yielding grass, it is grown as a hay crop on some of the 

 less desirable lands of Oregon and Washington as well as 

 a few other places. 



Sedges and rushes frequently form the main growth of 

 alkali swamps or low moist lands. The tuber bulrush 

 (Scirpus paludosus) is recommended by Nelson (24) as 

 being the best of these plants for forage on alkali lands of 

 the moist type. 



Millets, especially the stout rooted varieties, are among 

 the resistant cultivated grasses. Common, or foxtail 

 millet (Chaltochloa italica) is classified by Kearney (17) 

 as withstanding 60,00 to 8000 parts per million of white 

 alkali, a good crop usually being secured where not more 

 than the lower quantity is present and a fair crop between 

 the two points or even a little above. Barnyard grass 

 (Panicum crus-galli] resists white alkali fairly well ac- 

 cording to Hilgard (13). Proso, or broom-corn millets, 

 (Panicum miliaceum) will produce a good crop in the 

 presence of less than 4000 parts per million of white alkali, 

 but since other crops are usually more profitable with this 

 quantity, and since an excess of alkali is likely to reduce 

 the yield of grain to an unprofitable point, its value on 

 such lands is questionable. Loughridge (20) found Egyp- 

 tian millet (Elusine coracana) growing unaffected in the 

 presence of 1140 parts per million of total salts, 580 of 

 sodium carbonate, and 480 of sodium sulphate, and many- 

 flowered millet (Milium multifloruni) in the presence of 

 1090 total salts, 210 sodium carbonate, 120 sodium chloride, 

 and 440 parts per million of sodium sulphate. Other millets 

 that were tested resisted less than 1000 parts per million. 



Sorghums are rather resistant, can endure flooding, and 

 are readily cultivated so that they are among the better 



