B. P. I.—623. 
THE ORNAMENTAL VALUE OF THE SALT- 
BUSHES. 
INTRODUCTION. 
In many sections of both the irrigated and the nonirrigated West 
there are localities which are, or soon become, more or less alkaline 
from the accumulation of an excess of soluble salts in the surface 
soil. The cultivation of tender ornamental plants in such localities 
becomes a difficult matter. This is especially true of gardens and 
lawns where the application of water is frequent and seldom suffi- 
cient to carry any appreciable quantity of salt out of the surface 
soil, but, on the contrary, has a tendency to condense it there. 
A decision as to the best shrubs to plant for borders and in other 
permanent locations is often difficult to reach. Of course, certain 
conventional trees like the cottonwood are almost certain to thrive 
and serve a useful purpose. The list of ornamental shrubs which 
will withstand alkali and drought, the excessive heat of summer, 
and 15 or more degrees of frost in winter is a comparatively small 
one. An extension of the list of ornamentals which will grow under 
these varying conditions is highly desirable for both farmhouse sur- 
roundings and the town lot, for the latter is often subject to the 
same conditions as the surrounding farms and suffers from the solu- 
ble-salt accumulations as well as from frequent shortages of the 
water supply. 
Certain species of saltbushes are well adapted to use in these situa- 
tions as ornamental plants. They are especially adapted to hedge 
and border use. The fact that one or two species are now success- 
fully employed for ornamental purposes on the Pacific coast suggests 
that this group of plants has a much greater application in ornamental 
plantings than might at first be supposed. 
PRESENT USE OF THE SALTBUSHES AS ORNAMENTALS. 
Much has been written about the economic uses of the saltbushes, 
but their ornamental uses seem to have been lost sight of or neglected 
except along the Pacific coast. The city of Santa Barbara, Cal., 
[Cir. 69] 
3 
