Plants were identified by use of a 

 small numbered plastic tag so that they 

 could be recognized and quantified using 

 nondestructive testing on a bimonthly 

 basis. Plants were evaluated in terms of 

 their condition, i.e., absent, dying, 

 stable (stressed), stable, or new growth. 

 In addition, the following parameters 

 were assessed: height of the plant in 

 centimeters, basal diameter in hun- 

 dredths of millimeters, and number of 

 live and dead leaves. The average live 

 stem density and the number of flowering 

 stems were also recorded. In addition 

 to an assessment of the plants using the 

 above created nondestructive technique, 

 destructive sampling was initiated in 

 November 1975 to assess belowground pro- 

 duction of plant tissues. The destruc- 

 tive sampling consisted of harvesting a 

 0.1-m (0.3-ft) subplot in each of the 

 plots. Material from the aerial portion 

 of the plant was dried to a constant 

 weight in a force-draft oven at 100°C 

 (212°F). Macroorganic matter, the bio- 

 mass of plant tissue below ground, was 



defined as the 

 tained on a 1- 

 was assessed by 

 soil from each 

 depth where no 

 was recovered, 

 rial was also 

 expressed on a 



quantity of material re- 

 mm (0.04-inch) sieve and 



extracting the plant and 

 0.1-m2 (l-ft2) plot to a 

 additional root material 



This macroorganic mate- 

 dried and the dry weight 

 g/m2 basis. 



RESULTS 



The data summarize results through 

 April 1976 relative to the development 

 of sprigs transplanted during June 1975. 

 The results of biomass increases of the 

 various plants are best summarized in 

 Figures 4 through 10. Each of these 

 figures depicts the average sprig height 

 in centimeters (1 cm = 0.39 inch), 

 stems per square meter (1 m 2 = 10.8 

 ft 2 ), aerial biomass (g/m2), and below- 

 ground biomass of macroorganic material 

 (g/m 2 ) at time of transplant (June 1975) 

 contrasted with the same parameters 

 measured via destructive sampling in 

 November 1975. 



15 



