CROPS ON ALKALI LAND, HUNTLEY PROJECT, MONTANA. 
17 
Table XIV. — Approximate cost per acre of reclaiming land according to the first, second, 
and third methods, respectively. 
Year and item of cost. 
Method. 
First. Second. Third 
Breaking 
Double disking (2 times, at SI) 
Harrowing (2 times, at 25 cents) . 
Leveling 
Seeding 
Seed 
Total for 1910. 
1911. 
Irrigating (once, in spring) 
Manuring (20 loads, at 50 cents a load) 
Plowing rye under 
Double disking (2 times, at $1) 
Leveling and bordering 
Han-owing (3 times, at 25 cents) 
Irrigating (at 40 cents each time) 
Cultivating and leveling (at SI. 50 each time) . 
Leveling 
Seeding 
Seed 
Total for 1911. 
1912. 
Manuring (20 loads, at 50 cents a load) 
Plowing 
Double disking 
Harrowing (at 25 cents each time) 
Leveling 
Irrigating (at 40 cents each time) 
Cultivating and leveling (at 81.50 each time) . 
Total for 1912. 
84. 00 
2.00 
.50 
.75 
.50 
1.20 
4.00 
2.00 
Total for 3 years - .-. 24. 30 
.50 
1.20 
9.60 
4.00 
1.00 
.75 
5.75 
$4. 00 
2.00 
.50 
.75 
.50 
1.20 
8. 05 
.40 
Too" 
4.00 
1.60 
6.00 
16.00 
3.20 
12.00 
40.15 
S4.00 
2.00 
.50 
. 75 
.50 
1.20 
.40 
10.00 
4.00 
.80 
4.50 
23.70 
10.00 
4.00 
1.00 
.25 
.75 
2.40 
9.00 
27.30 
59.95 
It is shown in Table XIV that the first method was by far the least 
expensive of the three; that the second method, which involved a 
large amount of work in irrigating and cultivating, was next higher in 
cost; and that the third method, which differed from the second mainly 
in that it included an item of $20 per acre for manuring, was the most 
expensive of all. 
SUMMARY. 
(1) The surface soil on an area of approximately 7,000 acres, or 
about one-fourth of the Huntley project, is a heavy, impervious clay, 
containing alkali salts in amounts that are not tolerated by most crop 
plants. The total salt content of the virgin soil to a depth of 4 feet 
on the experiment tract averages about 1.7 per cent and consists 
principally of the sulphates of sodium, calcium, and magnesium. 
(2) Underlying the surface soil at depths ranging from 5 to 8 feet 
is a stratum of sand and gravel. 
(3) During 1912 and 1913 ground water has accumulated in the 
soil, and the ground-water level on the experiment tract has risen to 
