I^HE TREATMENT OI^ ALKALI. 4 1 



absorbents of the alkaline salts. Under the impression 

 that alkali land is poor in plant-food, many farmers 

 have tried such methods with varying degrees of suc- 

 cess. As a rule, these applications are not only use- 

 less but even harmful. From their very mode of 

 formation, alkali soils are exceptionally rich in plant- 

 food, so that the addition of more can do no good. In 

 case stable manure is used on black alkali ground, a 

 pungent odor of ammonia is given off whenever the 

 sun shines, and plants otherwise doing well are thus 

 injured or killed. When well plowed in, stable 

 manure will often prevent to some extent the rise of 

 alkali by diminishing evaporation, but its usefulness 

 in that respedt is readily replaced by good tillage. 

 The main benefit obtained is the addition of humus to 

 soils that have been whitened by alkali adlion. 



Potash salts, especially kainit, are wholly useless 

 and add to the alkali trouble. Potash is always abun- 

 dantly present in alkali lands, even in the water-soluble 

 condition. Nitrates also are always present in alkali 

 soils in sufficient amounts for plant growth and some- 

 times in excess. Phosphates may be useful, but will 

 rarely be needed for some years. Green manuring, 

 on the other hand, is a very desirable improvement on 

 all alkali lands, and for this purpose such crops as 

 alfalfa, alsike, pea-vines, salt-bush, and soy-beans, or 

 even buckwheat, can be utilized. Of all grain crops 

 for while or black alkali land there is nothing so good 

 as barley, with rye next in order and then oats, wheat 

 being most unsuited of all. We have never .tried the 

 new Russian grain vSpeltz, but believe from its habit of 

 growth that it will stand close to barley as an alkali 



