white alkali

American  

noun

1. Agriculture. a whitish layer of mineral salts, especially sodium sulfate, sodium chloride, and magnesium sulfate, often occurring on top of soils where rainfall is low.

2. refined soda ash.

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white alkali British  

noun

1. refined sodium carbonate

2. any of several mineral salts, esp sodium sulphate, sodium chloride, and magnesium sulphate, that often appear on the surface of soils as a whitish layer in dry conditions

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

white alkali

My soil is sandy loam with light traces of white alkali, although it does not seem to be detrimental to the growth thus far.

From One Thousand Questions in California Agriculture Answered by Wickson, Edward J. (Edward James)

They had come out on the level plain, and before them for several miles stretched the white alkali of the Nevada Desert.

From The Pony Rider Boys in the Alkali or, Finding a Key to the Desert Maze by Patchin, Frank Gee

A general laugh from the young folks greeted him, and Roy struck in with: "That's if we don't fall to the earth from the sky, and land up in a smash on the white alkali."

From The Girl Aviators on Golden Wings by Burnham, Margaret

The sun had lifted over the rim of the desert, a red disc which turned the gleaming white alkali patches to rose.

From Dangerous Days by Rinehart, Mary Roberts

League upon league the infinite reaches of dazzling white alkali laid themselves out like an immeasurable scroll unrolled from horizon to horizon; not a bush, not a twig relieved that horrible monotony.

From McTeague by Norris, Frank