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<br /> <br />(~ <br />51 <br />MULCHING 'TRIALS--IARICATED <br />Although prompt revegetation can not be assured under the climatic <br />conditions at this site without irrigation, xhich helps control xind erosion, <br />mulching treatments are proposed as part of the seeding procedure for surface <br />stabilization of xind-blown sand. Straw and manure are included as mulching <br />aaterials because they are readily available to the site. <br />In plot preparation, one foot of topsoil was removed and replaced. <br />Then the plots were: (a) fertilized with superphosphate at 40 pounds of <br />P/acre to improve seedling vigor and rate of establishment, (b) disced <br />lightly to roughen the seedbed, (c) seeded by broadcasting a mixture of <br />native-grass seed (Prairie sandreed, western xheatgrass, blue grams, Indian <br />rice s, sand dropseed, sand bluestem, little bluestem, and sideoats grams), <br />and mulched with either manure at 15 tons/acre (dry weight), manure at <br />30 tons/acre, or straw at 2 tons/acre. The straw was embedded by discing <br />with discs running straight ahead. <br />These three mulching treatments were replicated six times; however, <br />three of the replications were treated with paraquat at 2 pounds of active <br />ingredient/acre before removal and replacement of topsoil, to kill as much <br />of the existing vegetation as possible. These plots, xhich are shown as <br />shaded areas in the plot diagram, are identified as dead-sod topsoil; whereas, <br />the plots not treated with <br />paraquat are identified <br />as live-sod topsoil. <br />I, <br />1 7 13 <br />straw Manure-15 Manure-30 <br /> M ~ ~ <br />2 1 ° <br />Tiar~ure-30 ° Straw . +4 Manure-15 <br /> <br /> <br />3 ? 9' '~ 5 > <br />Manure-15 `~ Nenuxe-30 straw <br />a <br />4 l0 1 <br />Manure-15 Manure-30 straw <br /> ~ ~ ~ <br />5 11 Nom,-, 17 <br /> <br />Straw <br />'' <br />Straw 0 <br />"' <br />Manure-15 <br /> ~ $ ~ <br /> <br />6 ~, 12 „~, 18 m <br />Masora-30 Manure-15 ~' Manure-3p a <br /> <br />Maximum transplant- <br />ing responses of existing <br />vegetation, especially <br />of the important grasses <br />prairie sandreed and <br />western xheatgrass, should <br />be obtained on live-sod <br />topsoil. <br />The plots were <br />seeded and mulched on <br />May 24, 1978. <br /> <br />