Chapter XXII

ALKALI SOILS, THEIR NATURE AND COMPOSITION, 422.—Alkali
Lands _vs._ Seashore Lands, 422.—Origin, 422.—Deficient
Rainfall, 423.—Predominant Salts, 423.—Geographical
Distribution, 424.—Their Utilization of World-wide
Importance, 424.—Repellent Aspect, Plate, 424.—Effects
of Alkali upon Culture Plants. Figures of Apricot Trees,
426.—Nature of the Injury, External and Internal,
426.—Effects of Irrigation, 428.—Leaky Irrigation Ditches,
429.—Surface and Substrata of Alkali Lands, 429.—Vertical
Distribution of the Salts in Alkali Soils, 429.—How
Native Plants Live, 430.—Figures of various Phases of
Reclamation, 431.—Upward Translocation from Irrigation,
433.—Distribution of Alkali in Sandy Lands, 433.—In Heavier
Lands, 436.—Salton Basin or Colorado Delta, 436.—Diagram of
Alkali Distribution in Same, 438.—Horizontal Distribution
of Alkali Salts in Arid Lands, 439.—Alkali in Hill
Lands, 439.—Usar Lands of India, 440.—“Szek” Lands of
Hungary, 440.—Alkali Lands of Turkestan, 441.—_Composition
and Quantity of Salts Present_, 441.—Nutritive Salts,
441.—Black and White Alkali. Tables, 442.—Estimation of
Total Alkali in Land, 444.—_Composition of Alkali Soils
as a whole._ Tables, 445.—Presence of much Carbonate
of Soda, 448.—Cross Section of an Alkali Spot. Table,
448.—_Reactions between the Carbonates and Sulfates of
Earths and Alkalies._ Figure of Curve, 449.—Inverse
Ratios of Alkali Sulfates and Carbonates. Diagrams,
451.—Exceptional Conditions, 453.—Summary of Conclusions,
453.