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<br />i~ ( R-e o r1 e'I" ~• , o-(- Mice <br />T ~8i~n wa v- S 1 t'°e~ I~~iS ../A, ~ c~ ~ r '` ~. <br />P ~ , ~ _ 31 _ Vfl ~~aX' G<R J-f~+-ro r ~, i st:~"i~ <br />~,sfes ~~- Gt. v- ~a.~e <br />the desired ground cover. It may be possible to establish some ~~ 7. o t r~ <br />perennial legumes so the seeding mixture in addition to sweet clover <br />might include alfalfa, white dutch clover and milvetch. ~jld- Stale <br />J~, ~~ ~ 1 <br />['here will be competition for moisture between the herbaceous <br />and woody species. Consideration should be given Co not fertilizing <br />terraces planted to woody species as it is doubtful if the woody <br />species will respond to fertility treatments and it is known that <br />the herbaceous species will. <br />A large measure of success on the present work is because the <br />spoils are coarse-textured and thus able to absorb high intensity <br />sudlmer rains. A lower rate of Filtration and erosion may be more <br />of a problem in future work as the spoil will include finer-textured <br />materials from within the limestones. Phosphorus may also be more <br />:inviting on these materials. <br />The natural seeding of mountain mahogany on the spoils is en- <br />couraging. Direct :;ceding of this species and the pines might have <br />some success. Mountain mahogany seedlings may be available from a <br />commercial source in 1972. <br />ARGILIs~CE0U5 LIMESTONE SPOILS - LAPORTE <br />Background <br />These spoils are composed of a thin soil overburden and arl;il- <br />laceous limestone stripped from over and between limestones quarried <br />for manufacture of cement. The quarry is located about two miles <br />north of Laporte on an outcropping of the Niobrara formation. <br />Two diFferent types of spoil are present. These are easil}~ <br />differentiated by color and by native vegetation established on them <br />since disturbance. Une spoil is the brown-colored overburden which <br />consists of that portion near the surface which is more weathered <br />and oxidi2ed. Vegetation on the brown spoils is dominated by Indian <br />rice grass wl,iclt mal<os a fair vegetative cover of large clumps on tl,e <br />steep slopes. The lower slopes and swales on this spoil usually <br />support a fair to good stand of big rabbitbrush. <br />The other spoil which predominates is coarse and gray-colored. <br />Vegetative growth is sparse on this spoil and is dominated by one <br />species, Mentzelia decapetala, with a common name of stick leaf or <br />blazing star. This forb is a biennial which grows as a rosette tl,e <br />first year and flowers the second year. <br />Vegetation on nearby undisturbed areas is dominated by bye <br />• gramagrass and western wheatgrass. Skunkbush is a concnon shrub, <br />there is some four-wing snltbush, and on disturbed are,.s such ., r. <br />roadsides, big rabbitbrush. Average annual precipitation is ~ <br />~• approximately about 5000 fee[. <br />15 inches and elevation is lk~ither <br /> . j <br /> t <br /> 't <br />i x <br />'qC°'# <br /> ~ t <br />°~. <br />r <br /> r <br /> ... .: t.~ 4.~"K. <br />•~ <br />I '~. ~ ' tY' .LI <br />