ESTABLISHMENT OF THE STUDY 



Two logging roads, each 1 mile in length, were selected for the study. One road 

 was on generally south-facing slopes; the other on generally north-facing slopes. 



Hauling over the roads had ceased by October 1955, and earthen cross drains had been 



constructed at prescribed intervals ranging from 50 to 100 feet; the interval between 



these cross drains was designated a study plot. There were 64 plots per road, a total" 

 of 128. 



The scarification treatments were 



a. No roadbed preparation before or after broadcast seeding-- (control) . 



b. Scarifying to a depth of 3 inches with a spike-tooth harrow, after seeding. 



c. Scarifying to a depth of 12 inches with a six-tooth ripper mounted under a 

 road patrol, after seeding. .-^^ 



d. Deep scarifying (12 inches) as in (c) above, followed by seeding. 



These treatments were applied on the ground in groups of four contiguous plots off 

 each treatment to minimize vehicular travel back and forth on roads. ^ Despite these 

 precautions, unavoidable compaction occurred on many plots during the 3-week 

 establishment period in October-November 1955. The scarification treatments (by blocks 

 of four plots) were randomized and were replicated eight times. ■ i. 



The grass seed mixture included five perennials and a cereal grain (winter rye, ^ 

 Secale cereale) to provide temporary litter cover during the critical early years of 

 perennial grass establishment. The perennials were two long-lived sod formers, 

 Manchar smooth bromegrass ( Bromus inermis ) and intermediate wheatgrass ( Agropyron 

 intermedium ) ; and three bunch formers, crested wheatgrass (A. desertorum) , timothy 

 ( Phleum pratense ) , and bulbous bluegrass ( Poa bulbosa) . Although a shallow-rooted 

 grass, bulbous bluegrass had adapted well to dry sites in the Boise National Forest. 

 The rate of seeding for all species combined was 36 pounds per acre, as listed below: 



Species 



Rate/acre 





(lbs.) 



Winter rye 



20 



Bulbous bluegrass 



2 



Standard crested wheatgrass 



3 



Intermediate wheatgrass 



5 



Manchar smooth bromegrass 



5 



Timothy 



1 



Superimposed upon the scarification treatments after seeding were three additional 

 treatments: (a) fertilizer (equivalent to 40 pounds of nitrogen plus 40 pounds of 

 phosphorus per acre) broadcast with hand spreaders; (b) wood chips (a layer about 1 

 thick) produced by feeding green slash into a tractor-mounted chipper, and spread over 

 the plot manually with pitchforks; (c) fertilizer and wood chips in combination. On 

 the fourth plot, only the scarification treatment was applied. The additional treat- 

 ments were applied randomly to each group of plots. 



^The authors acknowledge Che excellent cooperation from the Ranger's staff and slash disposal crew 

 of the Lowman District, Boise National Forest. 



2 



