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Some landfills no longer accept waste paper for disposal; thus, alternative means are needed. One would be to apply pelleted paper to cropland as a mulch. This field study was conducted to determine effects of a paper pellet mulch on soil water storage and grain sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] yield. Mulch rates were 0 (check), 5,10, and 15 Mg ha -1 , Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) residue condition (retained or removed) and tillage (sweep or no-tillage) treatments were included. Pellet applications did not affect water storage or sorghum yields, apparently because pellets absorbed precipitation, which resulted in similar evaporation from bare and mulched soils. Residue and tillage treatments had little effect on water storage and sorghum yield. Soil C concentrations were greater in mulched than bare soil in one case, but some pellet material remained, suggesting further decomposition could increase soil C. Pellet applications resulted in greater aggregate mean weight diameters and lower percentages of small aggregates. These improved conditions could improve the soil's long-term productivity. Because crop productivity was not harmed, waste paper (e.g., pellets as used in this study) can be disposed of on cropland. However, shallow paper incorporation may be a better practice than surface applications because it should hasten its decomposition and, thereby, more rapidly improve soil conditions.

The pulp and paper industry in the southeastern USA produces 6500 t of boiler ash and lime by-products (waste lime, grit, and dregs) daily. A survey of 88 pulp and paper mills indicated that most of these by-products are placed in landfills, with only 10% being land-applied. Seventeen boiler ash samples and 14 lime by-products from 12 Alabama pulp and paper mills were analyzed and evaluated for their potential as soil liming materials. Most boiler ash resulted from the burning of wood or wood in combination with other materials and averaged 37% calcium carbonate equivalent (CCE), while 14 lime by-products averaged 99% CCE. In an 84-d incubation study, boiler ash and lime by-products applied to an acid (pH = 5.2) Marvyn loamy sand (fine-loamy, siliceous, thermic, Typic Kanhapludults) at equivalent rates based on CCE resulted in mean pH values significantly higher than values achieved with agricultural lime. All materials increased Mehlich-1 extractable P, K, and Mg. In a field study conducted on an acid (pH = 5.1) Vaiden clay (very-fine, montmorillonitic, thermic Vertic Hapludalfs), dallisgrass-fescue (Paspalum dilatatum Poir.-Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) herbage yield increased 62% the second year and 49% the third year after surface application of boiler ash, lime by-products, and agricultural lime.

Th e application of de-inking paper sludge (DPS), a C-rich but N-poor soil amendment, can sometimes decrease plant growth. Th is property needs to be investigated to develop the knowledge and management methods necessary for potential weed control. Today, there is no information on the eff ectiveness of using DPS to control weeds within a soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.)-corn (Zea mays L.) rotation. Th e objective of this study was to determine the eff ects of 0, 25, or 50 Mg/ha DPS applied yearly, com- bined with the absence or the presence of herbicides, on weed abundance and biomass. Th e experimental sites were St. Augustin de Desmaures for a 4-yr rotation sequence (soybean-corn-soybean-corn) and St. Hyacinthe for a 3-yr rotation sequence (soybean- corn-soybean) in northeastern Canada. Without herbicide and averaged across years, when DPS was applied at 50 Mg/ha DPS, the abundance of annual broadleaf weeds decreased by 78 to 96%, and biomass by 82 to 93%, whereas with herbicide, the abun- dance decreased by 66 to 100%, and biomass by 80 to 100%, at St. Augustin and St. Hyacinthe, respectively, compared with the 0 Mg/ha DPS treatment. At St. Augustin, DPS applied at 50 Mg/ha without herbicide usually decreased the annual grass weed abundance and biomass. DPS had no obvious eff ect on the abundance and biomass of perennial weeds. DPS amendment alone or with herbicides suppressed mainly the annual broadleaf weeds, and, to a lower extent, the annual grass weeds.

SUMMARY Land application of paper mill SC significantly in-creased corn yields even in the absence of mineral fer-tilizer. Leaf total N measurements indicated that moreN was available for uptake by the corn plants duringthe growing season where SC or NH 4 NO 3 –N was addedcompared with the control. The soil OM content in-creased each year during the application of SC; how-ever, little evidence for long-term accumulation of OMwas noted. Low NO 3 –N concentrations in the deepersoil layers posed no risk to water resources and no SC-relatedchangeswerenotedintheconcentrationsofP,K,Mg, or soil pH. ACKNOWLEDGMENTSThe authors would like to thank Brent Winters, GreenfieldEnvironmental Services, for his technical assistance. Partialfunding for this research was provided by Domtar Inc. and theOntario Ministry of Agriculture and Food. REFERENCES Bellaloui,A.,A.Chtaini,G.Ballivy,andS.Narasiah.1999.Laboratoryinvestigation of the control of acid mine drainage using alkalinepaper mill waste. 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The contribution of organic wastes to crop yields and soil fertility may be influenced by their composition and the soil type. This 6-yr study (2001―2006) evaluated the effects of repeated additions of mineral fertilizers (MF), mixed paper mill sludges (PMS) (18, 36, and 54 Mg ha ―1 ), dairy cattle manure (DCM) (36 Mg ha ―1 ) alone or with reduced mineral fertilizer (60% NPK) (RMF) and a control, on soil properties and corn (Zea mays L.), barley (Hordeum vulgaris L.), and soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) yields in a clay loam and sandy loam. The applications of PMS and DCM increased mostly N mineralization and crop yields in the sandy loam than in the clay loam. However, increases of soil C contents, water-stable aggregates and MWD following their application were higher in the clay loam than in the sandy loam. The DCM effects on the soil property changes were of less magnitude than those of PMS. Except in the first year, the PMS applications at rates of 36 and 54 Mg ha ―1 without NPK, and PMS applied at a rate of 18 Mg ha ―1 with 60% NPK, produced highest crop yields in both soils and were comparable to those obtained with MF. The increase in yield following DCM additions (36 Mg ha ―1 ) was lower than that obtained with PMS. Annual MF applications increased crop yields in both soil without significant changes on soil properties. The benefits of PMS and DCM on soil properties and crop yields varied depending on organic wastes and soil type.

The paper de-inking process produces a waste by-product, de-inking paper sludge (DPS), which contains paper fibers, clay particles, and inks and has high C and Ca and low N and P concentrations. Use of high rates of DPS to increase the soil organic matter thus requires provision of high rates of N for adequate plant growth. Using dinitrogen (N 2 )-fixing forage legumes is an alternative to the N fertilization under such circumstances. In a 2-yr field study (1995 and 1996), the effect of different rates of DPS (0, 50, or 100 Mg dry matter ha -1 ), applied once in October 1994, were evaluated on symbiotic N 2 fixation of forage legumes established on two soil types in Eastern Quebec, Canada. Symbiotic N 2 fixation was measured in alfalfa (Medicago saliva L.), birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.), red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), and sweetclover (Melilotus officinalis L.); bromegrass (Bromus inermis L.) was used as the reference (non N 2 -fixing) crop. Dinitrogen fixation was estimated by the 15 N natural abundance method. The percentages of N derived from the atmosphere increased significantly with DPS in the year of establishment (1995). In the first production year (1996), the effects of DPS on N 2 fixation were mainly observed at the first cut. Our results show that DPS used as an organic amendment generally led to similar or greater forage legume productivity and greater N 2 fixation compared with unamended controls in the first production year and is compatible with sustainable agricultural practices.

Large quantities of mixed paper mill sludges (PMS) are applied annually to agricultural soils in North America. However, little information exists in the literature delineating the impact of land application of PMS on crop N nutrition and soil properties. In a 3-yr field study, (1997-1999), we evaluated PMS effects on corn (Zea mays L.) yields and soil property changes. The study included annual and biennial PMS applications of 20, 40, and 60 Mg ha -1 on wet basis, applied alone or in combination with N fertilizer at reduced rates (90 and 135 kg N ha -1 for 40 and 20 Mg PMS ha -1 , respectively), complete N fertilizer for corn (180 kg N ha -1 ) and a control. Plots were split beginning with the second year for annual and biennial PMS and N fertilizer application. Annual or biennial applications of PMS alone resulted in grain yield increase of 1500 to 3000 kg ha -1 as compared to the unfertilized control. The applications of 20 to 40 Mg ha -1 PMS with N fertilizer at reduced rates (135 and 90 kg ha -1 respectively) achieved higher corn yields compared to PMS applied alone. The PMS applications combined with N fertilizer at reduced rates produced highest corn yields, similar to those obtained with complete N fertilization for corn (180 kg N ha -1 ). Corn apparent N recoveries (ANR) ranged from 17 to 21% in year of application and from 15 to 22% in residual year, depending of PMS rates. Three PMS applications at 40 to 60 Mg ha -1 yr -1 significantly increased the soil C content by 22 and 26%, and by 18 and 22%, compared to the control and N fertilizer, respectively. Those PMS applications also significantly increased the mean-weight diameter (MWD) of aggregates, and reduced soil bulk density as compared to the control and fertilizer alone treatment. The soil microbial biomass C and the alkaline phosphatase and urease activities were also increased in soils that received PMS. Our results suggest that the applications of PMS with low C/N (19-24) benefit corn growth possibly due to a combination of the higher nutrient availability and the improvement of the soil properties.