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<br /> <br />• 1972 Plots. Dr. Berg established species adaptation test plots in <br />tailing material at the Urad Mine in 1972. All plots were <br />fertilized with' phosphate and nitrogen, and species :>urvival was <br />evaluated under irrigated and nonirrigated conditions. The <br />nonirrigated plots showed better survival, probat,ly because <br />irrigation caused leaching of nutrients through the soil (tailing) <br />profile or perhaps because of interference in the hardening process <br />in the tested species (mostly low elevation forage grasses). <br />Smooth brome and meadow foxtail proved to be the hardiest species. <br />Maintenance of these plots consisted of an occasional application <br />of inorganic fertilizer. The plots are presently in very poor <br />condition. <br />• 1473 Plots. In 1973 more plots were established on they tailing at <br />the Urad Mine. The "Climax" mixture of herbaceous species was <br />seeded on phosphate-fertilized plots with the following treatments: <br />control (NH4N03), straw mulch, straw mulch with manure, straw mulch <br />with sewage sludge, manure, and sewage sludge. In 1974, the <br />success of these treatments was subjectively evaluated. In <br />descending order, the treatment methods were rated as follows: (1) <br />straw mulch with manure; (2) and (3) no significant difference <br />between straw mulch with sewage sludge and manure only; (4) sewage <br />sludge only, (5) mulch only, and (6) the control, which has no <br />surviving vegetation after the first year. <br />All plots were irrigated during the first year only. The second <br />growing season, 1974, was very dry. The only signifi=ant spring <br />precipitation prior to July 6th was in form of snow on June 9th. <br />The grass established itself well enough in some of the plots <br />during the first year to survive the second year's spring drought. <br />These plots received very little maintenace through thc: years and <br />are presently in poor condition. Oxidation of the tailing has <br />significantly reduced (or eliminated) vegetation in the plots. <br />6 <br />