Six large lysimeters were filled with strip-mine spoil material. The spoil was then seeded with eight grass and eight legume species and then treated with sewage effluent and liquid digested sludge at the following treatment rates: control (no treatment), one-inch effluent plus one-inch sludge combination (1E + 1S), and two-inch effluent plus two-inch sludge combination (2E + 2S). The spoil was irrigated weekly during the period May 24 to September 21, 1972. The results indicated that treatment ameliorated the harsh site conditions and greatly facilitated establishment of the grasses and legumes. The grasses did much better than the legumes in both dry matter production and percent areal cover of the spoil. Highest concentrations of metals and lowest concentrations of nitrogen were found in leachate from the control spoil. Leachate from spoil receiving the 2E + 2S treatment had the lowest concentrations of metals and acidity, and the highest concentrations of nitrogen, more favorable for grass and legume establishment.