Oct. 4.1915 
Effect of Alkali Salts in Soils on Crops 
7 
Table IV .—Effect of soil moisture on the tooiicity of sodium carbonate on wheat plants 
NUMBER OP SEEDS GERMINATED IN EACH GLASS 
4 »ooo. 
14 
20 
23 
29 
25 
27 
25 
26 
S.000. 
12 
*9 
24 
23 
24 
25 
24 
27 
6,000. 
10 
20 
21 
21 
19 
23 
22 
26 
7.000. 
7 
6 
20 
10 
14 
21 
10 
12 
8,000. 
1 
8 
8 
8 
8 
13 
16 
7 
9.000. 
S 
5 
4 
4 
5 
7 
4 
10,000. 
0 
1 
? 
■2 
8 
7 
1 
11,000.. 
1 
1 
2 
O 
3 
O 
2 
4 
3 
4 
DRY MATTER PRODUCED PER GLASS (GRAMS) 
4,000. 
0. 090 
0. 136 
0.147 
0. 216 
0.197 
0. 166 
0. 155 
0. 196 
5,000....... 
. 072 
• 123 
. 125 
• 131 
. 120 
. 112 
. 202 
6,000. 
. 028 
• I 3 I 
• 145 
• 113 
.097 
.145 
• 137 
• 154 
7.000. 
. 026 
. 018 
* 139 
. 046 
. 090 
. 085 
.050 
. 078 
8,000. 
0 
. 040 
•055 
.051 
. 048 
•055 
.074 
.052 
9,000. 
0 
. 019 
. 026 
. 024 
. 019 
•035 
•043 
. 021 
10,000. 
0 
0 
. on 
. 008 
. 018 
. 065 
.036 
. 028 
11,000. 
. 001 
. 001 
. 010 
. 019 
.013 
. 014 
. 016 
. 025 
From Table IV it is seen that the number of seeds germinating, the 
average height of plants, and the dry matter produced all decrease with 
the increased concentration of the alkali. The plants appear able to 
endure alkali better with a fair supply of moisture in the soil than where 
the soil is dry. This may be due to the fact that the soil solution is 
diluted by the water. Where the soil moisture was as low as 12.5 per 
cent, growth practically ceased at 7,000 p. p. m. of sodium carbonate, 
but in the wetter soils there was growth with as high a concentration as 
11,000 p. p. m. 
