SCARIFICATION 



Comparison tests between scarification 

 results given in table 2. As indicated, the 

 significantly from the control both in 1957 

 scarification proved less effective than see 

 action covered some seed too deeply. On the 

 following deep scarification proved to be a 

 plant density. Postseeding may have had two 

 soil material to slough and cover seed, and 

 ling roots to penetrate easier. 



treatments and controls revealed the 



deep scarification treatments varied 

 and 1958. Seeding of grass prior to deep 

 ding alone, probably because the ripping 

 other hand, seeding of grass immediately 

 slightly better method of increasing 

 advantages: (a) it allowed loosened 

 (b) it permitted surface water and seed- 



MULCH AND FERTILIZER 



Results of additional treatments are shown in table 3. Mulching with wood chips 

 had a depressing effect on plant density. When fertilizer was added with the wood 

 chips, the decrease in plant count was less than with wood chips alone, although the 

 difference was not significant. The use of fertilizer alone appeared to be related 

 to an improvement in plant density although, again the difference was not significant 

 in either year of study. Klomp (7), in reseeding scablands in Oregon and Washington, 

 included treatments using 1/2- and 1-inch layers of wood chips, disked in and not 

 disked, with nitrogen fertilizer and without. He found that chips plus nitrogen 

 fertilizer (300 lbs. N per acre per inch of chips) yielded best results. This is 

 contrary to our findings, where plots treated with a mixture of wood chips and 

 fertilizer yielded fewer plants per square foot (although not significantly so) than 

 untreated plots. This discrepancy may exist because in our study a much smaller 

 amount of nitrogen fertilizer was applied per acre. It is also entirely possible 

 that available nutrients from the small amount of fertilizer used had leached out 

 of the soil by the second growing season, resulting in a lack of significant difference 

 in growth between fertilized and control plots. 



Table 2. Effects of scarification treatments 



Treatment 



Broadcast seed (control) 

 Seed, harrow 

 Seed, deep scarify 

 Deep scarify, seed 



Plants per sq.ft. 



1957 



1958 



Percent ground cover 



9.4 

 9.3 

 5.4** 

 13.4* 



10.7 

 12.2 



7.1** 

 12.5* 



Comparison with control significant at 7-percent level, 

 Comparison with control significant at 5-percent level 



1957 



8.2 

 5.4 

 8.6 

 8.0 



1958 



12.5 

 13.6 

 11.9 

 11.2 



6 



