SOILS AND ALKALI. 
25 
Claymore lake, one-half a mile from the foothills, is fed 
by an open ditch about eight miles long. The water was 
taken when it was very low, in May, 1889. Found 69.6 
grains of solid matter to the gallon : 
Iron and alumina (Fe2 03 
-j— A12 03)- 3.00 per cent. 
Lime (Ca 0)_15.50 “ 
Magnesia (Mg O)_8.55 “ 
Sulphuric acid (S03)_31.25 <• 
Carbonic acid (C02)_ 21.44 “ 
Chlorine (Cl)_10.14 “ 
Alkalies (Na2 O)_ 9.94 “ 
99.82 “ 
Warren’s lake, five miles from the foothills, is fed 
by an open ditch eleven miles long. The water was taken 
in July, 1889, when it contained a medium quantity of 
water. Found 26.4 grains to the gallon of solid matter: 
Iron and alumina (Fe2 03 
—j— A12 03)- 1.72 percent. 
Lime (Ca 0)_13.85 “ 
Magnesia (Mg 0)^_ 7.72 “ 
Sulphuric acid (SO 3)_36.72 “ 
Carbonic acid (CO 2)_22.00 “ 
Chlorine (Cl)_ 2.96 “ 
Alkalies (Na2 0)_14.90 “ 
99.87 
The chemical analyses show that the reservoir waters 
are purer than the well water examined. This does not 
include the organic matter that may be present, which 
would be an advantage to the land irrigated. The water 
used to fill up the reservoirs is taken from the river, and it 
takes but a relatively short time to run in the ditches to 
its destination; while the water in the well, uncontam¬ 
inated with surface drainage, must take a great deal longer 
time in its underground channel, and must correspondingly 
have more alkali dissolved in it. Suppose the well water 
