If you have such an
outflow and desire to undertake the expense of tiling, you can insure
yourself against a serious rise of alkali indefinitely. We do not see,
however, how alkali can rise to the higher lands of the valley. Its
first effect would be to make lakes or ponds in the lowest parts of the
valley, and even then the surrounding mesa lands would not be injured.
Plants Will Tell About Alkali.
Please give information as to the application of gypsum to my soil which
is somewhat alkaline. I do not care to have an analysis made of my soil,
and believe that you can advise me without it.
If your soil is too alkaline for the growth of plants you can
demonstrate that fact by experiment, or if it is capable of being used
by the application of gypsum, that also can be determined by experiment
and noting the behavior of the same plants afterwards. It is rather a
slow process but it is sure enough.
Litmus and Alkali.
Is there any simple soil test for alkali that can be made without a
chemical analysis?
You can ascertain the presence of alkali by using red litmus paper,
which will be turned blue by the alkali in the soil, if the soil is
moist enough. This does not determine the amount of alkali, but the
quickness of the turning to the blue color and the depth of the color
are both attained when the alkali is very strong. When there is less
alkali, the reaction is slower and weaker.
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