Shansi province is situated in the eastern part of loessial plateau and characterized by a set of tectonic basins surrounded by mountains and hills. The river siftings in these basins which serve as the main soil forming materials form gentle flat topography. Owing to the variation of textural profiles and other genetical factors, different types of saline soils are formed: 1. The spotty saline soils: The characteristic parent materials in the basins are interbedded layers of light (sandy) and heavy (clay) sediments;variation in micro-relief occurs, as caused by shifting of river courses, and the depth and the degree of mineralization of ground water are frequently variable. As a result, saline soils with various degrees of salinization and salt constitution in spots scattered among the cultivated land of non-salinized lieht meadow soils.