UTILIZATION AND RECLAMATION OF ALKALI LANDS. 461 



saline sea-coast lands, applies directly and cogently to alkali 

 lands. It is the universal remedy for all the evils of alkali, 

 and its only drawback is the first expense, and the necessity for 

 obtaining an outlet for the drain waters, which cannot always 

 be had on the owner's land. Hence it requires co-operation or 

 legislation to render the great improvement of underdrainage 

 feasible. Such legislation is well established in the old world, 

 and has been enacted in several states even of the humid 

 region. Where irrigation is practiced as a matter of necessity, 



I' ic.. 12. -The Above Orchard after Alkali was Driven Down by Deep Irrigation, followed by 



Cultivation. 



underdrainage is a correlative necessity, both to avoid the evils 

 of over-irrigation and to relieve the land of noxious alkali 

 salts. 



The drainage law now existing in California does not go 

 farther than to authorixe the formation of drainage districts. 

 within which the necessary taxes may be levied ; and there is 

 some difficulty in securing popular action. P>ut bitter experi- 

 ence will doubtless in time comj)el unanimity, such as now ex- 

 ists, c. g.. in Illinois, where drainage is not nearly so urgently 

 needed as it is in the irrigation States. 



