Determination of the Properties of Saline and Alkali Soils

This chapter discusses determinations that give information on the chemical and physical properties of saline and alkali soils and thus serve as a basis for their diagnosis, treatment, and management. The status of knowledge on this subject is such that it is not yet passible to prepare a brief handbook containing a few simple measurements that will give all the necessary information. A number of different types of measurements are presented. Some of these must be regarded as tentative and subject to change and improvement. In some cases alternate procedures are proposed, and the individual worker will need to decide what kind and how many measurements will be required for the problem at hand. The purpose, application, and interpretation of the various determinations are discussed in this chapter. Detailed directions for making the measurements are given in chapter 6.