MICROFILMED 1986 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA - BERKELEY | GENERAL LIBRARY BERKELEY, CA 64720 COOPERATIVE PRESERVATION MICROFILMING PROJECT THE RESEARCH LIBRARIES GROUP, INC. Funded by THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES THE ANDREW W. MELLON FOUNDATION Reproductions may not be made without permission. THE PRINTING MASTER FROM WHICH THIS REPRODUCTION WAS MADE IS HELD BY THE MAIN LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY, CA 94720 FOR ADDITIONAL REPRODUCTION REQUEST MASTER NEGATIVE NUMBER g5-y232 AUTHOR: EcKkqvt, Charles Franklin, 1878-1934 - TITLE : Recent experiments bos PLACE: L Homo! wld DATE C104] VOLUME ~ CALL dues MASTER §§- NO. 3 F% NEG. NO. #232 DU636 .3 E43 ap. 1 Library, U. S. Dept. of Eckart, Charles Franklin, 1875-193L. ... Recent experiments with saline irrigation. By, C.F. Eckart ... Honolulu, 1904, 14 p. 22°". (Hawaiian sugar Planters association. Experiment sta- tion and laboratories. Agricultural division. Bulletin no. 11) 1. Sugar growing -*Hawaii. 2. Sugar cane - Irrigation. I. Title. (Series: Hawaiian Sugar Planters Association. Experiment Station, Honolulu. Agricultural Division. Bulletin no. 11) ( Agr 6-197 Revised Agriculture 100H31B no. 11 FILMED AND PROCESSED BY LIBRARY PHOTOGRAPHIC SERVICE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY, CA 94720 JOBNO. 8|6 0/8/8/6 1 8lé REDUCTION RATIO 8 DATE DOCUMENT "SOURCE THE BANCROFT LIBRARY 50 12 fl ET “fl 10 cle lis = fle 2 fli fhe MICROCOPY RESOLUTION TEST CHART NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS STANDARD REFERENCE MATERIAL 1010a ANSI and ISO TEST CHART No. 2) —_ LLL INCHES a dl i 1l 3 4 11 1] METRIC 1] | 2 | 1 i Si | 6] (A 8 «9 Oc, ong 3 Joh TIT TTT TT TT TT TTT TTT TTT TT TT TT TTT TTT TI eee 4 TTT | 1 LLL LL LLL I | I 2 te { ! 3 | I | | I Sl ! | I 6 Il ’ JF CALIF OlNiA, BERKELEY, - - EALIF HAWAIIAN SUGAR PLANTERS" ASSOCIATION EXPERIMENT STATION AND LABORATORIES. AGRICULTURAL DIVISION. BULLETIN NO. 11. Recent Experiments with Saline Irrigation. C.F. ECKART DIRECTOR, AcrRULTURAL Divistox. PUBLISHED BY ORDER OF THE HAWAIIAN SUGAR PLANTERS’ ASSOCIATION. Hawaiian Sugar Planters’ Association TRUSTEES. E. D. TENNEY, President. F. M. Swanzy, W. G. Irwin, W. O. Smits, H. A. ISENBERG, | G. H. ROBERTSON, B. F. DILLINGHAM, H. P. BALpwin, F. A. SCHAEFER. EXPERIMENT STATION COMMITTEE. W. M. Girrarp, Chairman. | G. H. ROBERTSON, ANDREW ADAMS, : H. A. ISENBERG, E. E. PAXTON, G. M. RorrH, J. M. DowSETT. id b fl EXPERIMENT STATION STAFF. Agricultural Division. . F. EckArrt, Director and Chemist. . G. CLARKE, Agriculturist. S. Peck, First Assistant Chemist. : TuoMpsoN, Assistant Chemist. CCI Cle R. WERTHMUELLER, Assistant Chemist. A. E. JorpaN, Assistant Chemist. | C. MerriaM, Field Foreman. \ Division of Entomology. . C. L. PERKINS, Superintendent. . KoeBELE, Consulting Entomologist. W. KirkALDY, Assistant Entomologist. | W. Terry, Assistant Entomologist. SCHORR TT0O SWEzY, Assistant Entomologist. LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL, W. M. Girrarp, Esq., Chairman, Experiment Station Committee, H. S. P, A. SIR: I, herewith, submit the results from a series of experiments bearing on saline irrigation, for publication as Bulletin No. 11 of the Agricultural Division. Yours very respectfully, C. PF. Eckarr, Director, Agricultural Division. Honolulu, T. H, August 8th, 1904. ———————————__—. ei Recent Experiments with Saline Irrigation. C. F. EcrArT. In the annual report of the Experiment Station for 1902, con- siderable space was devoted to results obtained from irrigating sugar cane with water containing 200 grains of salt per gallon. The investigations discussed at that time comprised small lysi- meter experiments and dealt with the solvent action exerted on the soil elements by saline water, and the toxic effect of various salts on the growth of cane. It was found that when occasional excessive irrigations were applied to cane growing in tubs, (constructed so as to allow of free drainage), the use of irrigation water of high salt content only checked in small measure the growth of the cane. It was also shown that large quantities of lime were liberated from the lysimeter soils through displacement by the sodium in the irriga- tion water, and it was indicated that the lime chloride so formed had a smaller toxic effect on the cane than a like amount of sodi- um chloride in the soil water. The data contained in this report are the results of investigations pursued in the field, where the information gained from the lysimeter tests was applied on a larger scale for confirmation of results. Nine plats, each 1500 sq. feet in area, were laid off in the Experiment Station field, planted with Lahaina cane, and treated as follows: Plat No. 1—Fresh water was applied in irrigation. Fer- tilization was at the rate of 100 lbs. of Nitrogen (1-3 organic, 1-3 from nitrate of soda, 1-3 from sulphate of ammonia); 200 Ibs. of potash as sulphate of potash; and 50 lbs. of phosphoric acid as double superphosphate per acre. Plat No. >—Irrigation was the same in quantity as in Plat No. 1 but contained 200 grains of salt per gallon. Two tons of lime in the form of ground coral were added to the plat after the cane was a foot high and partially incorporated with a super- 8 ficial layer of the soil. Mixed fertilizer applied as in Plat No. I. Plat No. 3—Irrigation and mixed fertilizer applied as in Plat No. 2. Instead of ground coral, 2 tons of lime in the form of gypsum were mixed with the soil. Plat No. j—Irrigation and mixed fertilizer, the same as in Plat No. 2. No lime added. Plat No. 5—Same irrigation as in Plat No. 2. Mixed fertilizer at the rate of 100 Ibs. nitrogen as nitrate of soda; 200 1bs. potash as sulphate of potash; and 50 Ibs. phosphoric acid as double superphosphate per acre. Plat No. 6—Same irrigation as in Plat No. 2. Mixed fertilizer at the rate of 100 Ibs. nitrogen as sulphate of ammonia; 200 Ibs, potash as sulphate of potash; and 50 Ibs. phosphoric acid as double superphosphate per acre, Plat No. 7—Same irrigation as in Plat No. 2. Mixed fertilizer at the rate of 100 lbs. nitrogen as dried blood; 200 lbs. potash as sulphate of potash; and 50 Ibs. phosphoric acid as double super- phosphate per acre. Plat No. 8—Irrigated with fresh water, a heavy irrigation being applied every eighth watering. Mixed fertilizer applied at the rate of 100 lbs. nitrogen as sulphate of ammonia; 200 lbs. potash as sulphate of potash ; and 50 Ibs. phosphoric acid as double super- phosphate per acre. Plat No. o—Irrigated with same quantities of water as Plat No. 8, water containing 200 grains salt per gallon. Fertilization the same as in Plat No. 8. IRRIGATION OF SALT WATER EXPERIMENTS. (INCHES) Irrigation Irrigation Month. Rainfall. Plats 1-7. Plats 8 & 9 FORE, 2Q02. oo i iiss assis amas .06 2.0 2.0 July La. Eases 2.21 5.0 5.0 AGERE > cei TS sa es 4.0 8.0 SeBteBEr . ..ii.iuiiiiserieniii sina 210 4.0 4.0 October. ....ccovieeennsrivin iivmennis 2.25 5.0 9.0 NOVEMBEE . co or coiiar ees criviinnness 8.35 2.0 2.0 tgp ment secs Irriagation Irrigation Month. Rainfall. Plats 17. Plats8 & 9 December . ......ivcvinvisvaisnvnsnons 8.12 1.0 1.0 January, 1008 ...ovviianis as isinivaa vas 3.28 2.0 6.0 FeBIUAlY . ui... susvsvivavasnsninne nnn 432 1.0 1.0 Batch oo. iii rans eres .68 5.0 5.0 APY © an a Se 2.11 3.0 7.0 May ii iiss eis eee i 2.05 4.5 4.5 JUNG ns vvivion vena dans vamos 83 ws 11.0 JUV esi i sa ee ee 1.67 8.0 8.0 BUBUSE uu. olineannsrsndorrisrinen). 220 8.0 11.0 SCPE . ..cucouiisuivivis snnissiseninn 4.98 8.0 8.0 OCLODETE . ......cvvvsnvnssinReninanvennn. 378 6.0 8.0 November. ........oc.sevssisvioibnss anes 2.24 5.0 5.0 December . .........sscvvsisinemenisnsny 1.30 January. 1004. ...oev iene ners nanan 4.88 BEDBUARY i oiviiine ins vniatnsindinms sisins sini 24.10 Marcly. di vriiresr ree re 6.04 BROTH Liven sion ania ine sii tess 2.11 00.08 81.0 105.5 Plats Nos. 1 to 7 inclusive received the same volume of irriga- tion water, 2 inches being the maximum amount applied at one time. Plats Nos. 8 and 9 received ordinarily the same irrigation as the other plats, but for every eighth watering this was in- creased to 5 inches. The dates on which Plats 8 and 9 received a 5-inch irrigation were: August 6th, and October 2nd, 1902, and January 2oth, April 21st, June 17th, August 5, and October 21st, 1903. The volume of rainfall and irrigation received, together with amounts of salt applied per acre are next given: Rainfall Irrigation Salt per Salt Applied Plat. Gallons. Gallons. Gal. Grains. per Acre. Lbs. bo sian inna 2,446,032 2,100,474 Shine lA Ther aeletaieie Bed avi sian sia 2,446,032 2,190,474 200 62,842 8 iiiiiiiiins ae. 2446,032 2,864,747 hae Cysiemires Oi aint 2,446,032 2,864,747 200 81,850 Plats Nos. I to 4 constitute the lime tests. It is to be regretted that limited field space would not permit the carrying out of I0 experiments in which fresh water and gypsum, and fresh water and ground coral were applied for comparison of results, so obtained, with results from Plats Nos. 2 and 3 receiving ground coral and gypsum respectively but irrigated with salt water. We would then know more exactly the percentage of gain in sugar yields which could be attributed to the ordinary agricultural value of the lime applications, and also the gain due to the neutraliza- tion of the salt carried into the land with the irrigation water. It is quite safe to assume, however, that owing to the nature of the station soil it would not show any appreciable gain from treat- ment with gypsum and ground coral where fresh water is used in irrigation. The lime in this soil is unusually high, showing by absolute analysis 1.01 per cent, by the agricultural method, 861 per cent, and by the aspartic acid method, .325 per cent. The gypsum through its indirect action would liberate consider- able quantities of potash, which would allow the presence of so much more available potash in Plat No. 3: the heavy potash fer- tilization of these plats, 200 lbs. per acre, however, together with the amount made available by the salt would minimize the effect of potash liberated by the gypsum. This latter point is clearly brought out by the yields of sugar from plats Nos. 2 and 3 which are almost identical. The quality of the juice and the quantity of cane and sugar produced per acre in the first four experiments are shown in the following tables: QUALITY OF JUICE. Salt per Form of Briz Sucrose Glucose Purity Gums Chlorine. Salt per Plat Gal of Wa- Lime of of of of of per Gal Gal. of ter Irrigation Added Julce Juice Juice Juice Juice of Juice Juice None No lime 20.28 18.90 .312 03.20 .43 9.8 16.17 200 grains G.coral 16.46 14.40 .204 87.50 .53 03.1 153.63 200 grains Gypsum 16.56 14.50 .27I 87.60 .56 84.94 140.17 200 grains No lime 15.89 13.80 .280 86.8 .50 105.24 173.67 AWN HH II CANE AND SUGAR PER ACRE. Perel . 3 ; ~ pn age Gain rw THOS Powaltime Cue upl ETI re Cent Lime. I None No lime 151,675 16.01 25,648 2 200 grains Ground Coral 42,311 12.88 5,449 46.6 3 200 grains Gypsum 42,108 12.97 5,401 46.9 4 200 grains No lime 30,085 12.35 3,715 The most striking point in regard to these results is the great difference in sugar yields: displayed between the plat receiving fresh water and the plats receiving irrigation containing 200 grains of salt per gallon. The difference in the amounts of sugar produced, approximated 11 tons, and this was caused by the ap- plication of no salt in the one instance and practically 31 tons per acre in the other. The juice of the cane receiving saline irrigation was character- ized by lower density, less sucrose and glucose, a lower purity, and a much larger content of salt, than the juice of the cane re- ceiving fresh water. Where lime in the form of ground coral and gypsum was applied a better showing was made in regard to density, sucrose, glucose, purity, and salt content, than where no lime was added. The percentage of gain in the former in- stance was a trifle higher than in the latter. The gain in the sugar of the cane where ground coral was applied was 46.6 per cent, and with gypsum 46.9 per cent, com- pared with the plat that was not limed. The difference in the amounts of available sugar would be somewhat higher than these figures owing to the difference in the purity and salt content of the juices. The influence of the form of nitrogen, applied in mixed fer- tilizers, on the yield of sugar in salt water plats may be seen from the following figures: 12 QUALITY OF JUICE. Form of Nitrogen Sail in Brix Suc Glue Pity Gums Chlorine uo 0, 0 ; 3 > , : ! Irrigation Plat in Mixed Fer- uk of of of ) * ly : tilizer ars Dor Juice Juice Juice Juice Juice ns por Gh 4 3 forms of Nit. 200grs. 1580 13.80 .280 86.8 .5Q 105.24 172.07 5 Nit. of Soda 200 “ 1686 1470 .286 87.2 .33 06.04 7108.08 6 Sul. of Am. 200 “ 1680 1490 207 %By 62 6767 11162 7 Blood 200 “ 1606 132 .328 86 63 8610 142.08 CANE AND SUGAR PER ACRE. : : ; ; : Suerose in . Form of Nitrogen in Salt in Irrigation Cane Per 5, Der Sugar Per Plat Mixed Fertilizer Grs Per Gal Acre Lbs eos bes Acre Lbs 4 3 forms of Nitrogen 200 gTS. 30,085 12.35 3.715 5 Nitrate of Soda 200 * 35,515 13.15 4,670 6 Sulphate of Ammonia 200 * 31,218 13.13 4,161 y Blood 200 © 57,963 13.6 7,882 The largest production of sugar was obtained where the entire amount of nitrogen was applied in the form of dried blood. While a small gain was to be expected, owing to the salt water having but little effect on nitrification, (see report for 1902, page 61) from the use of dried blood for Lahaina cane under Experiment Sta- tion conditions, we were surprised at the large difference in yields. The yields of sugar from Lahaina cane harvested at the same time, and which received the same fertilization, but to which fresh water was applied in irrigation were as follows: Form of Nitrogen in Mixed Fertilization. Sugar per Acre. Lbs. Dried Blood ......:orsscnvrsrsrssrrnss 22,254 Nitrate 6f SOAR ... scr onnvirvonnrrnni 21,262 Sulphate of Ammonia ................. 19,262 The order of yields in the salt water plats was the same as the above, although the percentage of gain from dried blood was greater. The more vigorous cane produced by fertilization with dried blood, withstood the deleterious action of the salt in a more pronounced manner than the cane in the other plats. I3 EFFECT OF OCCASIONAL HEAVY IRRIGATION ON YIELDS OF SALT WATER PLATS, It was shown in the report for 1902, that when cane was grown in tubs, allowing a perfect drainage, an occasional heavy irriga- tion, by leachingaccumulationsof salt from the soil, permitted an almost normal growth. In the field this perfect drainage can- not be obtained, but a heavy irrigation, now and then, is capable of reducing the salt content of the soil to such an extent that the cane is checked in less measure than where the salt is allowed to accumulate in larger quantities. This is fully shown by the following figures: QUALITY OF JUICE. Salt in Irri- Brix Sucrose Gluc Purity Gums Oe Saigo] Plat Irrigation gation Per of in 0 of of Cr 3 oy : cs x; , > s Per Grs Per Gallon Juice Juice Juice Juice Juice Gallon Gal 6 Normal 200grs. 16.80 14.90 .297 88.7 .62 67.67 111.62 8 Excess None zo.02 18.7 .288 03.4 .34 8.63 14.24 9 Excess zo0grs. 16.08 14.0 .272 87.1 .30 100.44 180.6 CANE AND SUGAR PER ACRE. : an, Sucrose in Per Cent a id Salt in Irrigation Cane Per y Sugar Per ; Plat Irrigation Per Gallon Aere Lbs Cane Dor or Loe Gain over 6 Normal 200 TS. 31.218 13.33 4,161 g 8 Excess None 182,081 16.73 30,612 : 9 Excess 200 grs. 62,494 12.53 7,830 88.1 The cane on these plats was grown under the same conditions except with regard to irrigation. Plat No. 6 received a normal volume of water weekly, while Nos. 8-and 9 received an occasional heavy watering (5 inches every 8th irrigation). Plats Nos. 6 and 9 received water containing 200 grains of salt per gallon, and No. 8 received fresh water. The extra irrigation water applied to Plats Nos. 8 and 9 amounted to 24.5 inches. This quantity when fresh increased the amount of sugar by 4,964 lbs. or 19.3 per cent; where salt water was used the gain was 3,669 lbs. of sugar or 88.1 per cent. lia gain in Plat No. 9 were entirely due to an increased growth re- 14 sulting from a larger available supply of water in the soil, we would expect the percentage of gain in yield to be somewhat proportional to that in Plat No. 8; this would allow the produc- tion of 4,064 lbs. of sugar. The difference between the yield of Plat No. 9, 7,830 Ibs.,-and 4,964 lbs. would represent approxi- mately the gain from the leaching effect of the extra irrigation applied. The difference amounts to 2,864 lbs. of sugar or 68.8 per cent. The investigations of 1902 and those recently com- pleted in the field justify the following conclusions. CONCLUSIONS. Lime is a potent agent in modifying the deleterious effect of saline irrgation on the growth of cane. On the Experiment Sta- tion field, application of lime in the forms of ground coral and gypsum and at the rate of 2 tons of lime per acre resulted in a gain of sugar amounting to 46 per cent; the irrigation water con- taining 200 grains of salt per gallon. Occasional heavy irrigations given to a moderately porous soil receiving brackish irrigation, is most effective in reducing the salt content of the soil to a less toxic quantity. A gain of 88.1 per cent. of sugar was obtained in the Experiment Station field by a 5-inch irrigation every 8th watering ; at least 77 per cent of this gain may be attributed to the leaching of salt accumulations from the soil. Aug. 8th, 1904. END OF TITLE