58 MISC. PUBLICATION 4 3 4, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



square foot, or three-eighths fluid ounce of commercial sulfuric acid 

 in a pint of water per square foot, to reduce pH to the level of 6.0 

 satisfactory for most pine seedlings. 





Table 16. 



-Analysis of a water sample from Pierre, S. Dak., not considered fit for 

 use in nursery irrigation 1 



Component 



1. Total solids 



2. Organic and volatile matter. 



3. Insoluble matter 



4. Iron, manganese, and aluminum. 



5. Sodium 



6. Magnesium 



7. Calcium 



8. Chlorine ion (soluble chlorides) 



9. Sulfur trioxide (soluble sulfates) 



10. Bicarbonic acid ion (soluble bicarbonates) . 



HYPOTHETICAL CHEMICAL COMBINATION OF 

 ACID AND BASIC IONS 



11. Sodium chloride 



12. Sodium sulfate 



13. Sodium bicarbonate 



14. Sodium carbonate. . 



15. Magnesium sulfate. __ 



16. Calcium sulfate 



17. Calcium bicarbonate. 



18. Calcium carbonate. .. 



HARDNESS, AS CALCIUM CARBONATE 



19. Permanent hardness. 



20. Temporary hardness. 



21. Total hardness 



22. Nitrites 



23. pH. 



Analysis 



Parts per 

 million 

 1, 047. 2 

 82.8 



26.0 



( 2 ) 



103.0 

 25.4 

 40.3 

 26.4 

 361.9 

 199.7 



350.4 

 275.0 

 ( 2 ) 



126.3 

 136. 9 



( 2 ) 



(») 



205. 8 

 ( 2 ) 



205. 8+ 

 ( 2 ) 



Remarks 



Exceedingly high. 



High for an average water but low compared 



to the very high total solids. 

 About average for an average water but low 



compared to very high total solids. 

 Not determined but low compared to total 



solids; of the order of 1.5 to 2.0 parts per 



million with at least one-half aluminum; 



might cause staining of white ware. 

 Very high; unusual. 

 Very high. 

 High. 



Average or little above. 

 Very, very high; unusual. 

 Very high. 



Average or little above. 

 Very, very high; unusual. 



Do. 

 Not actually determined but of the order of 

 2.5 to 3.0 p. p. m.; unusual; definitely alka- 

 line even to phenolphthalein. 

 Very high. 



Do. 

 Trace; unusual. 



Do. 



Very, very high. 



Trace; unusual. 



Very, very high. 



High; indicates some sort of organic contami- 

 nation; not proof of bacterial contamination; 

 water should be boiled before drinking. 



Very high (8.28); unusual; definitely alkaline. 



i Analysis by C J. Frankforter, Chemist, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebr. 

 2 Indeterminate quantity. 



It should be mentioned here that the soil itself, the type of under- 

 drainage present, the irrigator's skill and experience in applying water, 

 and the relative amount of water needed in comparison with the 

 amount received in rainfall, all have a bearing on the question as to 

 whether continued use of saline water will at some time in the future 

 create an alkali problem. 



Sources of Supplemental Water 



Assuming that the soil on a proposed nursery site is good and that 

 the water available for supplemental irrigation is not too highly 

 mineralized, the nurseryman still has the problem of determining the 

 best method of pumping and distributing the water. The type of 

 pump and motive power used will depend on the quantity needed, 

 the pressure desired, and the depth of the water table. Deep wells, 

 of course, cost more to develop and pump than shallow wells except 

 possibly where artesian pressure is available. If ditch irrigation is to 



