Holland Cries for Rain
To Wash Salt From Soil
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE M Vv'!H9R
APR 4 1953
By'Reuters
The Hague
.As Holland's shattered sea
dikes are being rebuilt and its
inundated land rises again above
the waters, its farmers, para
doxically, are hoping for rain.
Light showers are needed, ag
ricultural experts say, to wash
atvay the layer of salt silt left
by the sea water as it swept
over hundreds of thousands of
aéres of fertile soil early in
February.
"Early estimates of the total
inundated area proved to be ex
aggerated. Less than 6 per cent
of Holland's total agricultural
land was, in fact, flooded. But
this, according to a government
estimate, represents more than
330,000 acres.
'The task of repairing dikes
and draining the polders will
take many more months. But
the dikes into the farm land.
But this time the enemy, has
made its worst incursion upon
Holland's hard-won land in 400
years.
The battle against, the salt is
being intensified. The first step
is. to see how deeply the poison- j
ous salt has penetrated. Then,
gypsum, essential.for combatting
salt pollution, is being distribu
ted free to farmers in the affected
areas. But farmers are being
asked to go ahead with sowing
in the normal way, even if the
salt content is such that few
seedlings seem likely to emerge
above the surface.
Crops Selected
This is being done both be
cause no one knows how much
spring rain there will be to pur
ify the land, and a fair crop
might result, and because grow-
large areas already have been ing roots are important in restor-
reclaimed and more acres reap- ing fertility.
pear above the water every day. i The farmers are selecting crops
Salt Pollutes Soil m°st suitable for salty land such
TT j as barley, allalfa, and sugar beets, I
Hundreds of farmers have lost I or £urther down the a|t wheat
their farmhouses barns and i and flax The least suitable are
•"t,tle sheds. Neaily 1,500 farms potatoes, beans, and peas,
are. listed as devastated or j After sowing comes the dress
heavily damaged" in the offi- of gypsumi which on light soils
cial survey. About 50,000 head j js Spread to a density of 2,2 tons
of livestock, half of them cattle, per 2V0 acres, and double that
\yere drowned. Tractors, farm j amount on heavy soil.
AH this time, the farmers are
hoping for rain which more than
anything eisc. can restore their
lands' fertility":
Even with all these efforts,
light soils, may take up to. two
years to recover, while some
heavy soils may need up to 10
years.
wagons, plows, and all kinds of
farm machinery and equipment,
v/ere in jnany cases damaged
beyond repair.
Worst of all is the salt pollu
tion of the soil, no new prob
lem for the Dutch, who have been
fighting it for generations as sea
water seeped through beneath
