Use of Municipal Sewage Sludge 

for Improvement of Forest Sites in the Southeast 

Charles R. Berry, Plant Pathologist 

institute for Mycorrhizal Research and Development 

Athens, Georgia 

ABSTRACT 

In eight field experiments dried municipal sewage 

sludge was applied to forest sites before planting of 

seedlings, In all cases, tree growth was faster on sludge-amended plots than on plots that received fertilizer and lime or no amendment, 

In all studies, concentrations of total nitrogen 

in the soil were higher on sludge plots than on 

control or fertilizer plots, even on good forest 

sites. In seven of the eight studies, concentrations 

of phosphorus also were higher on sludge plots than on 

control or ferti 1 i zer plats, Nitrogen and ghssphoros 

tended to be higher in fsl iage from trees growing on 

sludge plots, 

Deep subsoiling was beneficla1 regardless of sofl 

amendment, Where weeds were plentiful at the outset, 

they became serious competitors on plots secei vi ng 

sludge* 

Keywords: Kecfamatian, borrow pit, tree growth, Pjflus 

soil nutrients, 

Muni ci pal sewage sl udge contai ns 

abundant plant nutrients and is an 

effect i ve 1 ong-1 ast i ng amendment for 

improving normal forest sites and for 

reclamation of disturbed sites in the 

Southeast, That consf usi on i s demonstrated by eight studies of the effects 

of dried sewage sludge on soils, tree 

growth, and element eoncent rations in 

tree foliage in the Southeastern United 

States, Of these studies, four were on 

borrow pits, one on a kaol i n spoi 1 , and 

one in the Tennessee Copper Basin, Two 

studies were on rout1 ne reforestation 

st'tes in South Carolina, Although in 

some cases early results were published 

previously, this paper contains updated 

information and draws certain conclusions not possible in the earlier 

reports, 

The use and effects of sewage sludges 

and effluents for reclamation sf surface 

coal mines and other disturbed sites, as 

we1 1 as effects of sludge disposal on 

1 and, have been studied extensi vef y 

(Bledsoe 1981; Cole and others 1985; 

National ASU&LGC 1973; Page and others 

1983; Sopper and Kardos 1973; Sopper and 

Kerr 1979; Sopper and others 1982). 

The effects sf sewage sludge and 

other organic wastes on soi 1 s are discussed by El liott and Stevenson (1977), 

and many aspecLs of recl amati on i ncl udi ng 

the use of sewage sludge are discussed 

by Schai ler and Sutton (1978). Two 

recent guides that deal speci f leal ly 

with revegetation of coal mine spoils 

are by Vogel (1981) and Sopper and 

Seaker (1983), Pnssi b1 e health r7" sks 

associated with sewage sludge have also 

been reviewed (Bitton and others 1980). 

Effects of sewage sludge on tree 

growth on normal forest sites in the 

Southeast were reported by wells and 

athers (1985) and McKee and &hers 

(1986). Hinkle (1982) used sludge to 

red aim abandoned pyrite mines, and 

sludge has been used on other disturbed 

sites (Berry 1977, 1979b, 1982, 19YSb; 

Berry and Marx 1977, 1980; Kormanik and 

Schul tz 1985; and Ruehle 1980). Spot 

appl i cat i on of sf udge, a teehni que sf 

potential value in sough terrain, has 

been found to aid initial qrowth of both 

loblolly pine (Pinus taeda-l.) and hardwoods (Berry 1 

A Word About Sewage Sludge 

Sewaye sludge is obtained from the 

processing sf domestic or industrial 

wastewater, The initial or primary 
treatment of wastewater is usually 

designed to remove settleable solids by 

some form of physical separation (screeni ng or gravity settl ing). Next, the 

wastewater is subjected to chemi cat or 

bi 01 ogi cal processes desi gned to remove 

dissolved and call oidal material, Thereafter, wastewater (or effluent) may 

receive various combinations of physical 

and chemical treatments. The sol ids 

removed during these processes are 

usually high in organic matter, are 

biological ly unstable, and are characterized by offensive odors. These 

materials may be stabi 1 ized by aerobic 

or anaerobic digestion. When sludge is 

removed from digesters, it is in liquid 

form (containing 3 to 6 percent solids) 

and can be transported in pipe1 ines, 

tank cars, or tank trucks, With proper 

equipment, it can be di rectly appl ied to 

land if State and Federal EPA reyulations are met. Usual ly, however, some 

form of dewatering process such as sandbed drying, vacuum filtering, or centrif ugat i on is employed before di sposal to 

produce a dry or semidry, semi sol id 

material that can be transported in open 

trucks and applied to land with standard agricultural equipment. If the 

dewatering is carried out by vacuum 

filtration or centrifugation, a chemical 

f locculant is employed to improve separation of liquid from solid material. 

The flocculant gives the sludge a semi - 

liquid, gellike character that makes 

application to land difficult. McCalla 

and others (1977) discuss the physical, 

chemi cal , and bi 01 ogi cal properties of 

sludges in detail. 

The method of hand1 ing sewage sludge 

depends on solids content, Sludge containing up to 10 percent total solids 

can be pumped with special equipment. 

Slurries with up to 5 or 6 percent total * 

solids hay be applied with field sprinklers, The sludge must contain at least 

25 to 30 percent solids before it can be 

handled with a shovel or pitchfork, 

A11 sludges used in the experiments 

reported in this paper were anaerobically 

digested and sandbed dried and contained 

at least 35 percent sol ids, They were 

also characterized by low heavy metal 

concentrations; for example, less than 

1 U p/m Cd and 250 plm Zn, An analysis 

of the sewage sludges used in most of 

the experiments reported here is shown 

in table 1, 

CharacteristScs of Sites and Studies 

All experimental sites were prepared 

by mwhanical ly removing a1 1 woody vegetation present, then by grad1 ng, if necessary, to el in1 nate gull ies, Amendments 

were thoroughly incorporated into surface soil to a depth of 15 to 20 cm by 

diski ng. Control plots (no amendment) 

were similarly disked. In addition, all 

sites were subsoiled to a depth of from 

61 to 92 cm after disking except in 

Study 3 where a variety of physical soi 1 

treatments were tested and in Study 7 

where disking was compared with a single 

subsoiling treatment, Spacing between 

subsoiled furrows and the pattern of 

furrows (para1 lel 1 ines or perpendicular 

lines) varied with the experiment. In 

recent experiments, subsoi 1 i ng was done 

in early fall to allow furrows to settle 

before plant i ng. Seed1 i ngs were pl anted 

the fo1 lowing spring in the closed 

furrows, Treatment plots containing 16 

to 36 trees were replicated three to six 

t irnes. A randomi zed compl ete-bl ock 

design was used in all except Study 6, 

in which treatments were completely randomized. .Data were subjected to analysis 

of variance, and means were separated by 

Duncan's mu1 tip1 e range test. 

Soil samples for chemical analysis 

were collected from the plots in a1 1 

studies in August 1985, Nine subsamples, 

taken from the top 15 cm of mi neral soi 1 , were composited for each replicate. The 

samples were ai r-dried in the laboratory 

and screened to a particle size of no 

more than 2 m. A11 chemical analyses 

were done by ML Laboratories, Inc,, 411 

N. Third Street, Memphis, TN, 

In the fall of 1985, the heights (H) 

and root-col lar diameters (D) of a1 1 

trees in all studies were measured, 

Values for DEH were then computed for 

each tree and summarized, DEW has been 

shown to be a reliable surrogate measure 

for aboveground bi bmass of 1 ob1 ol ly 

pine, and it a1 so appears to be a good 
I'ndi&atsr sf stem weight and stern vsiume 

(Hatchel l and others 1985). 

Physical and chemical properties of 

the upper 16 cm of the soil at the eight 

study locations are presented in table 

2, Additional informadion on the sites 

and a description of each study are provided in the next section, 

Individual Studies 

This study was instal led on a borrow 

pit (BP-la) on the Savannah River Forest 

Station, at the Savannah River Plant, 

Aiken, SC. in 1976. The pit originally 

overlain with Fuqua and Wagram soils, 

was created in 1950-1952, Soil and 

substratum to a depth up to 6 m had been 

removed, 1 eavi ng a severely compacted 

ground surface. This borrow pit, like 

most others at the Savannah River Forest 

Station had been planted with loblolly 

pine seedlings in the early 19501s, but 

little or no fertilizer was used and no 

subsoil ing was done. In 1976 many trees 

were still survivlny, but few were 

tal ler than 3 m, The area was prepared 

for the study by removing all vegetation 

and subsoiling to a depth of 0.9 m with 

perpendicular furrows spaced 1.2 m apart 

in both directions, Loblolly pine 

seedl i ngs with ectomycorrhizae formed by 

Pisol ithus tinctorius (Pers.) Coker & 

(Ehrh.) ex Fr. were planted 

.2 m x 1.2 m) in plots amended 

No ferti 1 izer (control ) 

Ferdi 1 i zer 1 & l imea 

Fertilizer & lime + tre? bark3 

Fertilizer & lime + ash 

Fertilizer & lime + bark + ash 

Sewage sludge 

Sewage sludge + bark 

Sewage sludge + ash 

Sewage sludge + bark + ash 

'560 kg/ha of comercial 10-10-10 fertilizer. 

'~i 1 led pine bark, bottm Furnace ash, and sewage 

sludge were applied at a rate of 125 mJJha, or 

approximately 1.3 cm deep, Mith sewage sludge, this 

rate was equivalent to a dry wight of 34 000 kglha, 

The area was thoroughly disked to incorporate amendments, then sown with Ky 31 

fescue reed before planting pine seedl i ngs. At age 5, a1 l pl ots were thinned 

to 2,692 trees per hectare, Naturally 

occurring Pi sol i thus ti nctori us formeb 

abundant ectomycorrhi zae on a1 l seedl i ngs 

during the first year in the field, 

precl udi ng any mycorrhi zal compari sons. 

Sewage sludge alone or with bark 

andlor ash dramatical ly improved early 

seedling growth (fig. 1) and production 

of grass bi omass, compared with other 

soil treatments (Berry and Marx 1980). 

After 3 years, grass biomass was five 

times greater on sludge than on other 

plots. There was no significant weed 

growth in this study. 

FIgtlre 1 ,---Three-year-old 1 oblolly pi- grm'lng on 

borrow pit plots, Plot In foreground aolc?rrd& with 568. 

kg/ha of IO-LO-LO Ceeillrer plus 2240 kgfha af lime, 

Plots in background end& wttR 34 mlha of sludw. 

The approximately 74-hlgh ml l imltcates 

materrial removed On creatisn of borrav pft, 

At age 10, plots receiving sludge 

had more than 2 times as much nitrogen 

and more than 25 times as much phosphorus 

as control and fertilized plots. Organic 

matter content and cation exchange capacity were a1 so considerably higher on 

sludge plots (table 3). By age 10, 

crowns had closed on the plots receiving 

sludge, and D2H was many times higher on 

these plots than on fertilized or control 

l plots (table 4). 
This study was instal led on a borrow 

pit (BP-lb) adjacent to Study 1. Site 

history and site preparation were the 

same as for Study 1 and preparation was 

carried out at the same time, Treatments 

consisted of 0, a7, 34, or 68 Mg/ha of 

sewage sludge (2% N, 1% P, and 0,5% K) , 

Plots were planted with s~eetgum 

L.) from two 

different ha1 f-sib families. 

After 5 years, there was no difference $n growth between the two sweetgum famil ies but the influence of sludge 

amendment was dramatic, Although cornpetition by fescue, planted as a groundcover, may have retarded early tree 

growth to some extent, competition f porn 

weeds was not significant, Fi fth-year 

growth on unamended plots was paw; tree 

height averaged less than 1 m. On plots 

amended with 17 Mg/ha of sludge, mean 

height was 2.75 m. On plots amended 

with 34 or 68 Mg/ha, mean height was 

over 3.6 m (Kormanik and Sihultz 1985). 

At age 10, the improvements in soil 

gropertdes associated with 34 Mg/ha of 

sludge were similar to those observed in 

Study 1 (table 5). The sweetgum growth 

response was best after 34 and 68 Mg/ha 

applications, but did not differ signifi cant l y between these two treatments 

(table 6). 

This study was installed on a borrow 

pit (BP-2) original ly overlain with 

Gunter sand, Creation of this borrow 

pit exposed a substratum on which trees 

and other vegetation grew poorly, 

Eighteen treatments (2 amendments x 

9 mechanical site preparation treatments) 

were i nstal led. Anaerobi cal l y di gested 

sewage sludge was obtained from Macan, 

GA. Sludge was applied to half of the 

study plots at a rate of 17 MgJha, and 

f erti 1 i zer (10-10-10) and pul veri zed 

do1 om1 t i c 1 imestone were appl i ed at a 

rate of 1121 kgdha and 2242 kggha, 

respecti ve4y , to the rernai ni ng pl ots, 

Amendments were appl i ed in September 

1978 and incorporated by double-disking 

to a depth 0% 15 cm, 

Nine mechanical site preparation 

treatments var-ied subsimi 1 ing depth and 

spacing of furrows running jn either me 

or two di rectisns, These treatments were 

applied to both fertilized plots and 

plots amended with sewage sludge, During 

the autumn of 1478, the study site was 

seeded with Ky 3% fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) at 34 kg/ 

Lob1 ol ly pi ne seedl i ngs (Li vi ngston 

Pasi sh source) that had been inocul ated 

and heavily colonized by the ectomycorrhizal fungus Pi sol i thus t i~ctorjus 

(Pt index 88) were planted in March 

1979, Seedlings were planted at a density of 1,914 trees per hectare and 

always in a subsoiled furrow except on 

disked-only plots, No weed control was 

necessary, 

The effect of sewage sludge on growth 

after 4 years was striking (Berry 1989b1, 

Trees on these plots grew an average of 

37 percent more in height and 76 percent 

more in d,b,h, than trees grown on ferti% izer plots, Four-year survival was 

not %nfluenced by treat~ent, 

Subsoil i ng interacted with amendments in its influence on tree growth 

(Berry 1985b). After 4 years on ferti1 ized plots, trees grew 9 percent more 

in height and 17 percent more in diameter 

on plots subsoiled 46 cm deep than on 

plots subssfled 92 em deep, When sewage 

sludge was used, however, there was 

significantly more growth (4.5% more 

height and 7.4% more d.b.h.) when plots 

were subsoiled to a depth of 92 cm 

rather than 46 cm, Bfter 4 years, na 

growth differences due to spacing of 

furrows or whether furrows were parallel 

or perpendi eul ar wese detected, 

Seven years after treatment, plots 

receiving sludge had mare than 2 times 

as much nitrogen, 10 times as much 

phosphorus, and 2 times as much organic 

matter as plots that were fertilized 

(table 7). DZH values for trees on 

plots receiving sludge wese about Pour 

times those on fertilized plots. Subsoi 1 i ny was benefi ci a1 , but growth 

through age 7 did not differ significantly between the 46- and the 92-cm 

treatment depths (table 8). 
This study, also installed on a 

borrow pit (BP-3), was designed to 

deternine whether several hardwoods 

besides sweetgun csul d grew wefl on 

subst raturn materi a1 amended with sS udge 

and subsoiled, A sp?it-plat experiment 

tested 68 Mg/ha of Fresh sludge frm 

Athens, GA, or fertilizer (1120 kg/ha of 

10-10-10 + 2240 kg/ha of dolomitic lime) 

or nothing in majar plots and cmpared 

the relative adaptabi iity of six species 

to a sludge-reclaimed borrow pit, 

Species compared in this experiment were 

sycamore (Platanus occidentalis L,), 

pine and sweetgum, Twenty-five trees 

here planted at a density- of 1,682 trees 

per hectare in each treatment plot, A1 7 

species were planted in sludge and ferti1 izer plots, while only sweetgum, 

green ash, and lsblolly pine were planted 

i n the control (no amendment) pl ots. 

On loblo1 ly pine, sweetgum, and 

green ash, mycsrrhizal inoculation treatments were applied, but in all cases the 

nsninoculated seedlings became contaminated soon after planting in the'field, 

preel uding any information on mycorrhizal effect, 

A highly significant species x fertility interaction affecting D~H was 

observed after the second growing 

season, Growth of several, if not a1 l , s~>ecies in this experiment was retarded 

by weed compelidion, which has been 

except i onall y heavy i n sl udge pl ot s . 

By age 4, nitrogen, phosphorus, and 

organic matter contents were ws longer 

significantly higher on fertil ized than 

on control plots. Sludge plots had more 

of these elements than the control plots 

(tabl e 9). In general , trees performed 

better on sludge plats than on those 

recei vi ng ferti l i ner, but the advantage 

varied considerably by species (tabl e 

101, For the three main species in the 

study, the percentage of improvement in 

B'W attributable to sludge was greatest 

in green ash, next greatest in sweetgum, 

and ledst in loblolly pine. Even so, 

U2H in loblof f y pine was almost Five 

times as high on sludge as on contr~f 

plots (table el), 

This study was installed on a kaolin 

spei l to delemi ne the feasi bi l i ty of 

reclaiming this type of spoil with 

sludge. About 8498 ha in Georgia had 

been surface-mined for kaolin clay by 

1973, and it was estim&ed that up to an 

additional 120 000 ha (297,000 acres) of 

1 and will eventually be mined (May 

1977). Berry and Marx (1977) found that 

l obl ofly pine seedl i ngs grew we1 1 in 

kaol in spot l in microplots when amended 

with either fertilizer or sewage sludge. 

Sweetyum seedl i ngs were planted in 

plots amended with 34 Mg/ha of old sewage sludge from Athens, GA, 1120 ky/ha 

of 10-10-10 ferti 1 i zer, or nothing, 

fwenty-five trees at a density of 1,682 

trees per hectare were ylanLed in each 

t reatment pl ot . 

Four years after treatment, sludge 

plots had about 10 times as much nitrogen, 7 times as much phosphorus, and 5 

times as much organic matter as fertili zed plots (tabl e 12). As a result , DzH 

on sludge plots was almost four times as 

1 arge as on fertil ized plots and more 

than four times as large as on control 

plots (table 13). 

This study was installed on a 

severely eroded and devastated site in 

the Tennessee Copper Basi n ori gi nal l y 

overlain with Hayesville sandy loam, 

The Tennessee Copper Basin is unique 

in the Eastern United States in that all 

natural vegetation on 3,000 acres was 

killed, and the surrounding 17,000 acres 

were reduced to grassland in the middle 

to late 1800's by air pollution resulting 

from primitive processing of copper ore, 

The subsequent severe erosion of topsoil 

1 eft deeply gull ied subsoi l exposed over 

thousands of acres, As late as the early 

1970'~~ chronic air pollution continued 

to retard growth and reduce survival 


cases is there an indication of a slowdown in growth on sludye plots. Growth 

on the ferti 1 izer and control plots, 

however, varies with the site and the 

type and frequency of fert i l izer appl i - 

cation. Of particular interest is 

response of sweetgum on Dothan and 

Norfolk soils, where growth on the sludge 

plots was no better than on control 

plots for the first 4 years. Measurements taken after the 5th and 7th years, 

however, indicate an acceleration of 

growth of trees on sludge plots, while 

growth rates on control and fertilizer 

plots remain about equal and much slower 

than on sludge plots. 

YEARS 

NCE TREATMENT 

Figure 3.--Growth of Virginia pine an mnded plots in 

the Copper Basin as influenced by sludge (34 Mg/ha) 

and fertilizer (896 kg/ha of 10-10-10 fertilizer plus 

1417 kgiRa CaO), 

YEARS 

NCE TREATMENT 

Figure 2.--Growth of loblolty pine on ended plots in 

the Copper Basin as influenced by sludge (34 %/ha) 

and fertilizer (896 kg/ha of 10-10-10 ferrfl izer plus 

1417 kg/ha CaO), 

YEARS 

NCE TREDTMENT 

Figure 4.--Gro*th of shortleaf pine on anended plots 

in the Copper Basin as influenced by sludge (34 Mg/ha) 

and fertilizer 896 tg/ha of 10-10-10 fertilizer plus 

1417 kgfha of CaQ), 
YEARS 

SiNCE TREATMENT 

Figure 5,--growth of leblo%ly pine on a borrow pit as 

influenced by sludge (34 Hg/ha) and fertilizer (560 

kg/ha of 10-10-10 fertilizer plus 2240 kg/ha of dolomitic lime), 

Figure 6,--Gro&h of sweetgum on a good forest site 

with Dothan and Norfolk soils as influenced by sludge 

(34 Mg/haj and fertilizer (1480 kgjha of diamoniurn 

phosphate plus 1100 kgfha mont urn nit rate), 

Deep subsoiling--ripping of sojl ap 

to 'rl cm deep---was used in most studies, 

and studied a$ a treatment variable on 

three sites, In an early study, subsoil in9 with parallel furrows spaced 80 

c\;l apart and 6119 cm deep was compared 

with diskiny 15 cn deep (Berry 197Yb). 

Both isbloliy and snortleaf pines produced signi ficaot ly higher 0% val ues 

f 13% higher for Boblo1 ky and 38% higher 

for shortleaf) on subsoiled plots than 

an plots that were disked ody~ In a 

study on Orangebury soil (Study 7), 

growth ofsweetgun after 2 yeus on 

disked plots was compared ~ith growth on 

subsai led plots (para1 lel furrows spaced 

122 cm apart and 60 crn deep). Ther~ 

were si yni ficant increases in hei yht, 

diameter, and DZH in trees on subsoiled 

plots compared with trees on disked 

plots. There was a 47-percent increase 

in DW on subsailed plots compared with 

that o~ plots that had been disked only. 

In Study 3, eight intensities of subsoiling p1i.i~ d-isking here cornpared on 

fertilizer and sludge plots on a borrow 

pit planted with loblolly pine. When 

sewaye sludge was applied, any degree of 

subsoiling was significantly better than 

disking, When Pertilkzes was used as an 

amendment, any degree of subsoi I i ny was 

better than diskin9 for hei yht, but not 

diameter growth. For U2H on fertilized 

plots, subsoiling to 46 cn was significantly better than di ski ny, Nef ther 

suhsoi 1 i ng i Q two di rect i ons (perpendiculdr pattern) rather than one nor 

spacing furrows at 122 cn instead of 244 

cin offered any improvement in growth, 

Herbaceous -- Groundcover 

In several studies the sites were 

seeded to Ky 31 fescue, a~d in one study 

grass b~oinass product ion was meastired. 

Lush stands of herbaceous naterial were 

sometimes produced when sewaye sludge 

was appi ied. In no case did qoxious 

weeds appear to be introduced by sludge 

application, but in Study 4 sludge 

aypl i cation stimulated Wed% dl ready on 

the site sufficiently to cause severe 

competition to the planted trees. 11 a 

hlsck where weeds were sparse, tree 
g ro~t h 

where 

growth 

effect 

illust 

was 

weed 

was 

s of 

excellent, In other blocks 

growth was 1 uxuriant , tree 

moderate, The detrimental 

weed competition were also 

rated in an early sludge study 

(Berry 1977) not included in the present 

paper, The stimulation of rayweed and 

crabgrass in that study was so great 

that shortleaf pine did not survive on 

plots amended with 68 My/ha of sludye 

(table 20), In addition, both survival 

and yro~dh of shortleaf were less on 

plots amended with 34 Ng/ha than on 

plots mended with 17 My/ha, Lobloliy 

pine tolerated weeds somewhat better 

than shortleaf ~ine, 

Effects on Fol iar Nutrients 

Foliage for tissue analysis was 

collected in August from branches in the 

upper one-thi rd of tree crowns, Three 

or more trees frsm each treatment plot 

were sampled, Go1 l ect i ans wese dried 

for 48 hours at 75 "C and ground with a 

UDY Cyclone Sanpl e Mi l l (UUY Corporation, 

201 Hame Court, Fort Go7 l ins, CO 80524), 

Analyses were done by the Soi 1 Testing 

and Plant Analysis Laboratory, 2400 

Col l ege Station Road, At hens, GA 30605, 

Generally, foliage frm trees growing in sludye plots contained mare N, P, 

and Zn than that from trees on fertilizer 

plots (tables 21 through 28). Ca and Mg 

were casually higher in foliage Prom 

trees in fertilizer plots, Manganese 

concent rations were several orders af 

magnitude higher in foliage from trees 

grown in the Copper. Basin than in 

foliage from trees in the other studies 

reported here, 

The heaviest rate of sludge applied 

in any of the studies was 68 My/ha. The 

primary interest in these data therefore 

is for use of sewage sludye as Fertil izer 

rather than heavy appfications that 

might be made when disposal on land is 

the primary goal. While there is no 

doubt that much heavier amounts of most 

sludges can be applied in the Southeast 

with no deleterious effects, owe would 

not expect any increased rate of growth 

of trees by applying amounLs greater 

than about 34 Mgdha, Sludge applicat ions of 275 Mgjha, apgl ied in a nursery 

experiment (Berry and Marx 1976) had no 

significant deleterious effect on growth 

of loblolly or shareleaf pine seedlings 

or on mycorrhizal Pornation, It. is conceivabl e, however, that heavy appl i cations of some sludges that are high in 

salts or heavy metals could inhibit 

growth aod myeorrhizal formation 

(Berry 198Sa). At any rate, care should 

be taken not ta exceed State and Federal 

guide1 ines on appl ication of heavy 

metals to soil or on contamination of 

y round water with nitrates, 

In Study 8, an attempt was ma& to 

apply equal amounts of plant nutrients 

in sludye and fertilizer LPeatnents, As 

is evident from growth data (table 19), 

the attempt was unsuccessful, Even 

thsugh analyses found only nitrogen to 

be higher on sludge plots and a1 l elements in good supply on fertilizer plots, 

growth was better on sludge plots, Since 

most of the nutrients in sludge are in 

~ryani c fora, they become avai 1 able 

slowly. All nutrients in most ferdili zers used in forestry are water soluble 

and subject to washing and leaching, 

Therefore it i s impracli cal to appg y 

much over 1120 kg/ha of 10-10-10 (112 

kg/ha of N) in a single application. 

The effect of leaching of festif izer was 

demonstrated in the subsoiling study 

(Study 3) in which growth of trees 

during the first 4 years in fertiaizer 

plots was faster on plots subsoiled to 

only 46 crn than on plots subsoiled to 32 

cm, a depth which was mere conducive to 

washing and leaching, Subsoiling to a 

92-ctn depth produced the fastest growth 

when sludye was the amendment because 

moisture relations wese better and the 

nutrient% whi&h were in organic form, 

were not being leached, Spl it appl ications of fertilirer are common in agriculture, but in most cases this approach 

is impractical with forest trees, 

Three sf the plantings are now 10 

years 016 or older (Studies 1, 2, and 

6). In each case, growth of trees on 

the sludge plots is excellent and 

appears to be accelerating, In studies 

comparing a noearnendmend coat rol with 
fertilizer and sludye treatments, trees 

on ferti 1 izer plots are not growing 

much better than those on conxrol plots 

(Studies 1, 4, 5, 7, and 8). 

It has become apparent in recent 

years that sl udye appl i cati on and i ncorporat i on fol 1 owed by subsoi 1 i ng wi 11 

convert the most unproductive site irnaginable into a site as productive as the 

best undisturbed site in the vicinity. 

Trees on the sludge plots in the Copper 

Basin and in the borrow pits are yrowing 

very well. Previous treatments that did 

not include sl udye (or subsoi 1 i ny) 

failed. Metz and others (1970) found 

670 to 900 ky/ha of N, 15 to 22 kg/ha of 

P, and 62 to 108 ky/ha of K in the forest 

floor and the upper 7.6 cm of mineral 

soi 1 in 20-year-old southern pine plantations. A sludge application of 34 

Mg/ha at 2 percent N, 1 percent P, and 

0.5 percent K is equivalent to 680 kg/ha 

of N, 340 kg/ha of P, and 170 kg/ha of 

K. Theoretically, the addition of these 

organically bound, slow-release nutrients 

shout d transform the nutrient status of 

the most barren site to that of an 

average undi sturbed southern pi ne pl antation. Thus, such a treatment appears 

to be more than adequate for mere reclamation. It promises to enable restoration of a severely devastated site to 

the status of a fully productive forest. 

Trees growl ng on sl udge-amended 

plots have produced an average of about 

8 percent more wood as a percentage of 

total -tree weight , with proportionately 

less foliage, than trees on plots 

amended with inorganic ferti 1 i zer (McNab 

and Berry 1985). 

Fol iar analyses confirm the value of 

sludge as a soi 1 amendment. They show 

elevated nitrogen and phosphorus in 

foliage from sludge plots compared with 

that from fertilizer plots. We1 1s and 

Al len (1985) discuss the use of foliar 

analysis for identification of sites 

where a benefit can be obtained frm 

appl i cation of ferti 1 i zer. Elevated Mn 

in foliage from the Copper Basin suggests 

Mn toxicity as a possible explanation 

for the somewhat slower growth rate of 

trees in that area than on sludgeamended borrow pits, Although soil Mn 

is higher on two other sites, soil 

pH is lowest in the Copper Basin, 

creating a situation more conducive for 

Mn uptake, High velocity drying winds 

also contribute to reduced growth in the 

Copper Basin Berry 1982; Hursh 1948). 

Figure 7,--Root system af tree frm a brraw pJt not 

subsoiled (left) conlpared with root systent from a 

bossow pit subssi led to 8,92 a, 

The value of subsoiling for growing 

trees in hard or compacted soi 1 cannot 

be overstated. In observations made 

during the subsoi 1 i ng study (Study 3), 

roots of loblolly pine were found to 

penetrate the full depth of 92 cm in a 

subsoiled trench within 2 years. Roots 

did not penetrate the soil on this site, 

if it had not been previously loosened 

(fig. 7). Even on a good site with 

deep, rich Oranyeburg soi 1 , subsoi 1 i ng 

i ncreased early growth. A1 though 

increasing the depth from 46 to 92 em 

(table 13) or the number of directions 

from one (para1 lel 1 i nes) to two 

(creating a grid) did not produce faster 

growth at 7 years, any degree of subsoiling was significantly better than 

disking alone. Another advantage 

observed but not wasured in this work 

was the excel 1 ent moisture retention on 

recent1 y subsoi 1 ed plots during rains. 

One of the most important benefits of 

subsoil ing borrow pits or other extremely 

hard areas, however, probably will not 

be seen until the trees are much older 
and larger, St is believed and observaLions indicate (fig, 8) thal trees 

growing wlthaut the benefit OF deep subsoiling wi7 1 be more prone to windthrow 

than trees grawing on plots that have 

been subsoi 1 ed, A1 l subsoi 1 i ny in these 

studies was done with readily available 

ripping shanks with no special shapes or 

modi f i cat i ons , 

Figure 9,--Trees planted at close spacing in subsoiled 

furrows that Fol low contours cont POI erosion effectively without groundcover, 

Fi gure 8,--Trees planted f n hard materi al not subsoi led 

can be extremely shallow rooted and prone to windthrow, 

The use of herbaceous groundcover in 

conjunction wi th trees may sometimes 

have dubious value, Quick stabilization 

of soil is important, and where fertili zer is being used, groundcover helps 

capture water-soluble nutrients that 

might othe.rwise be lost from the site. 

Dense herbaceous vegetati on, however, 

competes strongly with tree seedlings 

for water and nutrients, The best growth 

of herbaceous plants is usually achieved 

at a higher pH than what is best for 

pines, Therefore a quick herbaceous 

groundcover must be bought at a price of 

slower growth of trees, Runoff can be 

controlled to a hrye extent by subsoiling on the contour and bf, planting 

trees at a close spahling in the furrows 

(fig. 9). The rows could be spaced normal ly at 2,44 m or more and trees spaced 

at 122 m within rows, 

If sludge is used instead of fertilS zer, plant nutrients will be retained 

on the site because they are released 

slowly, If weed seeds are present on 

the site, weed growth wil l be stimulated 

by sludge, often to an extent that 

inhibits growth of tree seedlings, If 

such a situation can be foreseen, 

attempts should be made to controt weeds, 

even if tree planting must be delayed a 

year, 

Society is obf iged to di spsse of 

sewage sludge by the most envi onm mental l y 

sound means possible, Disposal by 

application sn disturbed sites can 

result in superior reclamation, Even on 

high-quality forest sites, judicious 

disposal of some sludges will promote 

growth sf trees with no Qeleterisus 

effects, 
Literature Cited 

Berry, GeRI 198Sa- Growth and heavy wtal accuwulatian in pine seedlings grown with sewage sludge, 

Journal of Environmental Quality 14(3):415-419, 

Berry, C,R, 1985be Subsoil ing and sewage sludge aid 

lobfolly pine establishment on adverse sites, 

Reclamation and Revegetation Research 3:301-311. 

Berry, Charles R, 1977, Initial response of pine 

seedlings and weeds to dried sewage sludge in rehabilitation of an eroded forest site, Res, Note 

SE-249, Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southeastern Forest Experiment 

Station, 8 pp, 

Berry, Charles R, 19793, Slit appl ication of fertilizer tablets and sewage sludge improve initial 

growth of loblolly pine seedlings in the Tennessee 

Copper Basin, Reclamation Review 2:33-38, 

Berry, Charles R. 1979b. Subsoiling improves growth 

of pine on a Georgia Piedmont site. Res. Note 

SE-284, Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southeastern Forest Experiment 

Station. 3 pp, 

Berry, Charles R, 1982, Dried sewage sludge improves 

growth of pines in the Tennessee Copper Basin. 

Reclamation and Revegetation Research 1:195-201. 

Berry, Charles Re 1983. Growth response of four 

hardwood tree species to spot fertilization by 

nutrient tablets in the Tennessee Copper Basin. 

Rec? amat ion and Revegetat ion Research 2: 167-175. 

Berry, Charles R,; Marx, Donald H, 1976, Sewage 

sludge and Pisolithus tinctorius ectomycorrhizae: 

their effect on growth of pine seedlings. Forest 

Science 22:351-358, 

Berry, Charles R,; Marx, Donald H, 1977, Growth of 

loblolly pine seedlings in strip-mined kaolin spoil 

as influenced by sewage sludge, Journal of Envi ronmental Qua1 i ty 6(4) :379-381. 

Berry, Charles W,; Marx, Donald H. 1980, Significance of various soi 1 amendments to borrow pit 

reclamation with loblolly pine and fescue, Reclamation and Revegetation Research 3:87-94. 

Bitton, 6,; Damron, B,L,; Edds, G,R,; Davidson, JeNe, 

eds, 1980, Sludge - health risks of land appl ication, Proceedings sf the workshop; 1980 April 29- 

May 1; Tampa, FL, Ann Arbor, MI : Ann Arbor Science 

Pub1 i shers, Inc,/The Butterworth Group, 367 pp, 

Bledsoe, Carol ine S., ed, 1981, Municipal sludge 

application to Pacific Northwest forest lands. 

Proceedings, symposium; 1980 July 8-10; Seattle, HA: 

College of Forest Resources, University of 

Washington, 155 pp, 

Cafe, Dale W,; Henry, Charles L,; Nutter, Wade L,, 

eds, 1986. The forest a1 ternative for treatment 

and utilization of municipal and industrial wastes, 

Proceedi ngs , symposi urn on forest land appl i cat i ons ; 

1985 June 25-28; Seattle, HA: College of Forest 

Resources, University of WashSngton, 582 pp, 

Elliott, L.F.; Stevenson, F,J,, eds. 1977, Soils for 

managment of organic wastes and waste waters, Proceedings, symposium; 1975 March 11-13; Muscle fhaals, 

At, Madison, MI: Soil Science Society of herica, 

American Society of Agronq, and Crop Science 

Society of herfca, 650 pp, 

Hatchell, G,E,; Berry, C,R,; Muse, H.D. 1985. Nondestructive indices related to aboveground bimass 

of young loblolly and sand pines on ectmycorrhizal 

and ferti l irer plots, Forest Science 31 :419-427, 

Xinkle, K,R, 1982, Use of municipal sludge in the 

reclamation of abandoned pyrite mines in Virginia. 

pp, 421-432, In: Sopper, W.E.; Seaker, E,M.; 

Bastian, R,K,, eds, Utilization of municipal wastewater and sludge for land reclamation and bimass 

production, University Park, PA: Pennsylvania State 

University Press, 

Hursh, C.R. 1948. Local climate in the Copper Basin 

of Tennessee as mdified by the removal of vegetation, Circ, 774. Washington, DC: U.S. Department 

of Agriculture. 38 pp. 

Konanik, Paul P,; Schultz, Richard C. 1985, Significance of sewage sludge amendments to borrow pit 

reclamation with sweetgum and fescue. Res. Note 

SE-329. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southeastern Forest Experiment 

Station. 7 pp, 

May, J.T. 1977, Highlights of a decade of research 

and reclamation on kaolin clay strip mining spoi 1, 

1966-1976. Ga, For. Res. Rep. 37. Macon: Georgia 

Forest Research Council. 36 pp. 

McCal la, T.M.; Peterson, J,R.; Lue-Hing, C. 1977, 

Properties of agricultural and municipal wastes. 

pp, 10-43, In: Elliott, L.F,; Stevenson, F,J., eds. 

Proceedings , symposi urn; Soi 1 s for management of 

organic wastes and waste waters; 1975 March 11-13; 

Muscle Shoals, AL. Madison, MI: Soil Science 

Society of America, American Society of Agronmy, 

and Crop Science Society of Arneri ca. 

McKee, W.H., Jr.; McLeod, K,W,; Davis, C.E,; RKevlin, 

M,K,; Thomas, H.A. 1986. Growth response of 

loblol ly pine to municipal and industrial sewage 

sludge applied at four ages on upper coastal plain 

sites. pp, 272-281, In: Cole, Dale W.; Henry, 

Charles L.; Nutter, Wade L., eds, The forest alternative for treatment and uti 1 ization af municipal 

and industrial wastes, Seattle, WA: University of 

Washington Press, 

McNab, W, Henry; Berry, Charles R. 1985, Distribution 

of aboveground biomass in three pine species planted 

on a devastated site amended with sewage sludge or 

inorganic fertilizer, Forest Science 31:373-382. 

Metz, Louis J,; Wefts, Carol G,; Konanik, Paul P, 

1970, Comparing the forest floor and surface soil 

beneath four pine species in the Virginia Piedmont, 

Res, Pap. SE-55, Ashevi 1 le, NC: U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, Forest Service, Southeastern Forest 

Experiment Station, 8 pp, 
National Association of State Universities and LandGrant Colleges. Recycling municipal sludge and 

effluents on land, Proceedings, joint conference; 

1973 July 9-13; Champaign, IL, Washington, DC: 

National Assocjation of State Universities and 

Land-Grant Col 1 eyes, 242 pp. 

Page, A.L,; Gleason, Thomas L., 111; Smith, James E,, 

Jr,; Iskandar, I.K.; Somers, L,E,, eds, 1983, 

Proceedings of a workshop; Utilization of municipal 

wastewater and sludge on land. Riverside, &A: 

University of California, 480 pp, 

Ruehle, John 1. 1980, Growth of containerized loblolly pine with specific ectmycorrhizae after 2 

years on an amended borrow pit, Reclamation Review 

3:95-101. 

Schaller, Frank W,; Sutton, Paul, eds, 1978. Reclamation of drastically disturbed lands. Proceedings, 

symposium; 1976 August 9-12; Wooster, OH, Madison, 

W I : Arnerican Society Agronomy, Crop Science Society 

of America, and Soil Science Society of America. 

742 pp. 

Sopper, William E.; Kardos, Louis T., eds, 1973. 

Recycling treated municipal wastewater and sludge 

through forest and cropland, Proceedings, symposium; University Park, PA: Pennsylvania State 

University Press. 479 pp. 

Sopper, William E.; Kerr, Sonja N., eds. 1979. Util i zat ion of municipal sewage eff 1 uent and sl udge on 

forest and disturbed land. Proceedings, symposium; 

1977 March 21-23; Chicago, 11. University Park, PA: 

Pennsylvania State University Press. 537 pp. 

Sopper, Uilliarn E.; Seaker, Eileen M, 1983. A guide 

for revegetation of mined land in Eastern United 

States using municipal sludge, University Park, PA: 

School of Forest Resources and Institute for Research 

on Land and Water Resources, Pennsylvania State 

University. 93 pp, 

Sopper, William E,; Seaker, Eileen M.; Bastian, Robert 

K., eds, 1982, Land reclamation and biomass production with municipal wastewater and sludge, Proceedings, symposium on Utilization of municipal 

waste~ater and sludge for land reclamation and 

biomass production; 1980 September 16-18, 

Pittsburgh, PA, University Park, PA: Pennsylvania 

State University Press. 524 pp, 

Vogel, Millis G, 1981. A guide for revegetating coal 

minesoils in the Eastern United States. Gen. Tech. 

Rep. NE-68, Broomall, PA: U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Forest 

Experiment Stat ion. 190 pp, 

Wells, Carol; Allen, Lee. 1985, When and where to 

apply fertilizer. A loblolly pine management guide, 

Gen. Tech. Rep. SE-36. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southeastern 

Forest Experiment Station. 23 pp, 

We1 1 s , C .G. ; McLeod, K.W, ; Murphy, C.E. ; Jensen, 3 .R. ; 

Corey , 3,C. ; McKee, U.H. ; Chri stensen, E.J. 1985. 

Response of loblolly pine plantations to two sources 

of sewage sludge, pp. 85-94. TAPPI [Technical 

Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry]; Atlanta, 

GA: TAPPI Press, 
Table 1 .--Chemical analysis of sludges employed in eight field studies 

Element 

S1 udge 

At . hens - 

Fresh Ol d Macon 

Table 3.--Soil chemical properties on a borrow pit (BP-la, Study 1) 10 years 

after addition of amendments and bel"ny planted with loblolly pind 

Control l?$b 2b 3iBb 2% 17b U,3b 4,54ab 1,Sb 

'~ithin columns, means fcl lowed by the sane letter do not differ significantly 

ad - P = 0,05, 

3560 ky/ha of 10-10-10 fertilizer plus 2240 kg/ha of dolomitic lime. 

Table 4.--Growth of loblolly pine after 10 years on a borrow pit 

(BP-la, Study I) as influenced by sewage sludge and fertil izerl 

- Treatment ----- Dl" ameter D2H -----.-.- 

IWithin columns, means followed by the same letter dc not differ 

significantly at - P = 0,05, 

'560 ky/ha of 10-10-10 fertilizer plus 2240 kg/ha of dolomitic lime. 
Table 5.--Soil chemical properties on a borrow pit (BP-lb, Study 2) 10 years 

after addition of amendments and planted to sweetgum' 

Treatment 

'~ithin columns, rneans followed by the sane letter do not differ significantly 

at - P = 0.05, 

Table 6.--Growth of sweetyum after 10 years on a borrow pit (BP-lb, Study 2) 

amended with sewage sludge! 

Sludge treatment 

(Mg/ha) Height Di ameter DZH 

'within columns, means followed by the same letter do not differ 

significantly at - P = 0-05, 
Table 7.--Soi 1 chemical properties of a borrow pit (BP-2, Study 3) used to test 

effects of subsoiling treatments on lob101 ly pine 7 years after amendments were 

appl i ed . 

Ferti 1 i zers 99b 4b 41a 127a 56a 0,4b 4,81a 2.lb 

'within columns, means followed by the same letter do not differ significantly 

at - P = 0,05, 

3112~ kg/ha of 10-10-10 fertilizer plus 2240 kg/ha of dolomitic lime. 

Table 9,--Soil chemical properties on a borrow pit (BP-3, Study 4) planted with 

hardwoods and 1 oblol f y pine 4 years after addition of amendments 1 

Treatment 

..------- 

Sf udge2 302a 6Ya 37b 199a 4lb 1,9a 4,73b 5,6a 

Ferti l i zers 122b 5b 611a 187a 86a 1,2ab 5,25a S,4a 

Control 84b 3 b 35b b06b 386 0,7b 4,82b 3,5b 

'~ithin columns, means followed by the same letter do not differ significantly 

at - P = 0,05, 

268 Mg/ha. 

'1120 kg/ha of 10-10-10 fertilizer plus 2240 kg/ha of dolomitic lime. 

Table 10,--A comparison of growth sf six tree species on borrow pit plots (BP-3, 

Study 4) after 4 years amended with sewage sludge or fertilizer! 

Lob1 ol la, 

Sycamore 

Sawtooth oak 

Green ash 

Sweet gum 

Ye1 low-pop1 ar 

Loblsl ly 92,8a 2783 

Sycamore 86,8ab 211b 

Sawtooth oak 85,4ab 1446 

Green ash 96,8a 132c 

Sweet gum 95,6a b29c 

Ye1 l ow-pop1 ar 72,0b 77d 

'~ithin columns and amendments, means followed by the same letter do not 

differ significantly at - P - 0,05, 

'112~ kg/ha of 10-10-10 fertilizer plus 2240 kg/ha of dolomitic lime. 
U 

3: 

0 L L" a+? L N 

0 .r- at- *t-. 

m4.J L c a 

0%- 

aJ 

IS: 

C, 

al=ru 

hNC3-3 

hMh cud 

IS: 

a 1 II: fsn \ Ad 

0, 

0 
Table 12.--Soil chemical properties on a kaolin spoil planted with sweetgum 

(Study 5) 4 years after addition of amendments1 

Control 35b 3c 21b l53b 55a 0.3b 6,19a 1.5b 

Samples col lected after appl ication of 1 ime; analyses of adjacent unl imed areas 

have shown a pH of 4.4 to 5.1, Ca of 6U to 100 p/m, Mg of 20 p/m, and K of 24 p/n. 

'~ithin columns, means followed by the same letter do not differ significantly 

at - P = 0.05. 

31120 kg/ha of 10-10-10 fertilizer plus 2240 ky/ha of dolomitic lime. 

'2240 kg/ha of dolomitic lime. 
Table 13.--Growth of sweetgum on a kaolin spoil (Study 5) 4 years after addition 

sf mendmentsl 

'~ithin columns, means fol lowed by the same letter do not differ significantly 

at - P -- 0.85, 

'34 Mg/ha. 

3112~ kg/ha of 10-10-10 fertilizer plus 2240 kg/ha of dolomitic lime. 

4224~ kg/ha of dolomitic lime. 

Table 14,--Soi 1 chemieal properties of study plods in the Tennessee Copper Basin 

planted with three pine species (Study 6) 10 years after addition of amendments' 

'~ithin columns, means fol lowed by the same letter do not differ significantly 

at P =: 8,05, M 

'896 kg/ha of 10-10-10 fertilizer plus 1417 kg/ha of CaO. 
fable 15,--Growth of lob101 ly, shortleaf, and Virginia pines in the 

Tennessee Copper Basin (Study 6) on plots amended with sewage sludge 

or fertilizer after 10 years1 

Treatment He3 ght Si aneter DZH 

SHORTLEAF 

VIRGINIA 

1 Within columns and species, means followed by the same letter do 

not differ significantly at - P = 0,05, 

'896 kg/ha of 10-10-10 fertilizer plus 1417 kg/ha of CaO. 

Table 16.--Soil chernical properties of a good Forest site planted with sweetyum 

with Orangebury soil (Study 7) on the Savannah River Forest Station' 

*-em---- -----emS'l udgez 605a 106a 573 168a "La 2.2a 4.79a 2.2a 

Ferti l i zers 248b 36b 42c 94b 15a 1,6b 4,79a f ,3b 

Control 238b 31b 47 b Ilbb If a 1,6b 4,96a 1,4b 

'~ithin columns, means followed by the same letter do not differ significantly 

at P = O,CIS. 

'34 Mg/ha. 

'280 kg/ha of di ammoni urn phosphate. 
Table 17.--Growth of sweetyum on a good forest site with Oranyeburg soil 

(Study 7) after 2 years' 

Treatment Surtdi val Hei ght Di afneter DZH 

MINOR PLOTS 

Ferti 1 i zer4 83a 144a 36a 2148a 

Control 85a 123b 28b llllb 

MAJOR PLOTS 

Subsoi 1 ed 88a 1473 36a 2252a 

Not subsoi 1 ed 83a 134b 31b 1532b 

'~ithin columns for a particular series of plots, means followed by the same 

letter do not differ significantly at - P = 0.05, 

3280 kg/ha of diammonium phosphate applied 1 year after planting. 

Table 18,--Soil chemical properties of a good forest site with Dothan and Norfolk 

soils (Study 8) planted with sweetgum on the Savannah River Forest Station' 

- - - - - - - - - 

Treatment N P K Ca 

-------- -------- 

- 

Sl udge2 725a 69a 47a 164a 30a 3,0a 4.83b 2.2a 

Fertilizer"492b 63b 513 143a 36a 2.6ab 4.88a 2.la 

Control 397b 8b 51a 1443 35a 2,2b 4.97a 2.0a 

'~ithin columns, means followed by the same letter do not differ significantly 

at - P = 0.05, 

'1480 kg/ha diammonium phosphate, and 1100 kg/ha of ammonium nitrate. 
Table 19.--Growth of sweetgum on Dothan and Norfolk soi 1 s (Study 8) at the 

Savannah River Forest Station, a~ended with sewage sludge or fertilizer 

after 7 years1 

Sl udye2 

Ferti 1 i zers 

Control 

'within columns, means followed by the same letter do not differ significantly 

ad - P = 0.05, 

'1480 kg/ha diammonium phosphate and 1100 kg/ha ammonium nitrate. 

Tab1 e 20.--Growth of 1 oblot 1 y and short1 eaf pi nes on eroded forest 1 and (Madi son 

soil series) amended with sewage sludge after 5 years 1 

Sl udge 

t reatment 1st-year 

(Mg/ha) Survival Hei ght Ui ameter D2H weed biomass 

- "% - cm - cm cm 3 

(X 10,000) 

LOBLOLLY PINE 

SHORTLEAF PINE 

'within columns and species, means followed by the same letter do not differ 

significantly at - P = kQ5. 

Source: Berry 1977, 
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