20 FOE AGE CONDITIONS ON NOETHEEN BOEDEE OF GEE AT BASIN. 



that it thrives best on such soil with frequent light irrigations rather 

 than with large amounts of water at infrequent intervals, as is usually 

 applied to alfalfa. 



The analyses of samples 43, 44. and 50 are especially instructive. 

 It will be seen that sample 43. taken where seed germinated well, and 

 sample 44, where it failed entirely, although only 15 feet apart, differ 

 considerably in the amount of soluble salts which they contain. This 

 difference, although only 0.25 per cent, is sufficient to place sample 44 

 in the class of soils containing dangerous amounts of alkali. This 

 analysis also shows, as far as the analysis of a single sample can, that 

 there is no appreciable difference between the resistant powers of 

 alfalfa and timothy, although, as stated above, there is a popular belief 

 that such is the case. Further investigations along this line would be 

 profitable. Sample 50, on the contrary, does not appear to contain 

 soluble salts in harmful amounts, although a stand of alfalfa was not 

 secured on the land last spring. The failure here appeared to be due, 

 as was suspected, to improper drainage. 



FORAGE PLANTS GROWIXG OX ALKALINE SOILS. 



The following table contains a condensed list of those forage plants 

 which were found growing in soils containing soluble salts in quantities 

 sufficient to be deleterious or dangerous to cultivated crops: 



Forage plants growing in alkaline soils. 



Per cent of Kind of 



alkali. 



Number of soil sample. Name of plant. soluble 



salt. 



'• 1 1 



3 Grease -wood (Sarcobatus Yermiculatus 1 ) ! 4.00 White. 



4 Salt grass (Distichlis spicata) | 3.00 Black. 



17 Alkali saccaton (Sporobolus airoides) 4. 50 White. 



23 Salt grass (Distichlis spieata) .60 Black. 



26 .-... Alkali grass ( Puccinellia airoides i .52 | Do. 



.50 j Do. 



. 70 Do. 



29 1 Small cord grass (Spartina gracilis) 



33 Prairie bulrush (Scirpus campestris i 



44 Utah saltbush ( Atriplex truncate | .50 Do. 



HANDLING OF STOCK. 



As is inevitably the case in all open-range stock raising, the methods 

 of operation are rapidly changing. Where a few years ago cattle 

 were almost unprovided for during the entire winter and were taken 

 from the range directly to the eastern markets, they are now fed from 

 two to four months of the year and are almost invariably fattened 

 before being slaughtered. This change is being brought about by 

 two causes which are very intimately related to each other. The per- 

 sistent home seeker has explored these vast areas and taken up land 

 under his rights as a citizen wherever a favorable spot appeared. At 

 the present time the tillable areas where water is convenient and. 

 therefore, under conditions of nature the most productive in the unim- 



