“Black Alkali” in the San Luis Valley 
i5 
conditions in this way by carrying the “black alkali” into the deeper 
portions of the land, but they do not destroy it or even permanently 
remove it. The addition of a sufficient amount of gypsum, theoret¬ 
ically, 124 pounds for every pound of “black alkali” in the soil, 
practically about 9 pounds of gypsum to one of “black alkali”, 
will change it into “white alkali” and then the land will not get 
hard for 4 inches on the surface and the crops will grow again. 
The application of the water must be to the surface by means of 
furrows or by flooding. 
A very important consideration is, How can the gypsum be 
obtained? It would have to be brought in, as this mineral does 
not occur in the valley. At the present time, freight rates are 
prohibitive. The net cost to me of 6 tons of ground gypsum at 
Portland was $24.00, the freight to Center was $48.00. The cost of 
this gypsum was too high and the freight was much worse. 
While gypsum does not occur in the valley, it is usually very 
abundant between the first line of hogbacks, the Dakota sand¬ 
stones, and the east flank of the Front Range. It usually outcrops 
and its quarrying is easy. The quarrying, transportation and 
grinding ought to be a community matter if this section of the 
valley is to be reclaimed. These things must be done on small 
profits. 
Some drainage is necessary to reclaim portions of this land, 
but how much benefit is to be expected from large systems, aim¬ 
ing to drain the whole section is an open question. 
