lycopod

The machine uses a 180 ton metal bucket to drag soil and rock forward
for lifting, and then rotates to dump the material on an area that has
already been mined. The machine is so large and so specialized that,
according to Mr. Hendon, it cost $36 million when it was brand new. Not
only were we allowed to view the dragline from close up, but we were
also able to go inside and see how it works. The movements of the
bucket can be efficiently operated by one person, but three other
workers are usually present to keep the machinery functioning and
oiled. The complex manipulations of the dragline depend on 16 giant
motors of over 100 horsepower each, one of which we saw winding and
unwinding the huge cables connected to the bucket. Other motors rotate
the whole assembly and move it. We all visited the operator control
room, as well as a second empty control room. Inside the machine, the
noise was loud enough to necessitate the use of earplugs. After
visiting the dragline, Mr. Hendon took us all to a second bucket no
longer in use, where I took the group photograph shown here.

inside of the plant.
Some specimens looked broken at a node, a place where leaves and
branches could emanate from the plant. The node is a horizontal ridge,
and the small specimen I show here has two nodes. Sometimes a node may
be preserved
in cross-section. On splitting one rock, I found a large node
impression
with thin radiating structures, probably leaves. However, none of the
inner structure of the node was preserved in this piece.

Also found at
the site were various seed fern impressions, the most familiar ones I
noticed being Alethopteris and Neuropteris. The latter were often found
as disconnected and relatively large pinnules. One BPS attendee showed
me a nice slab of intact Alethopteris ferns. He was so happy to have
the slab, and it was so fragile, that he said he was going to carry it
home on his lap! Related to these ferns, I believe I found what appear
to be two branches of a likely tree-sized seed fern plant. The branches
have a brownish color with some carbonized plant material remaining,
and bear no resemblance to the branches of Calamites or the arborescent
lycopods. No fern impressions are attached to these branches, but I
have seen other similar specimens having attached ferns.

Easily the most spectacular find of this trip was a 300-400 pound
arborescent lycopod stump found by James Foshee. The specimen is about
1 foot thick and tapers from a diameter of about 2 feet to 3 feet from
top to bottom. All around the rim, the stump is covered with beautiful,
well-defined leaf scars, the appearance of which suggests to me that
the specimen is of the genus Lepidodendron. From its curved shape, it
looks like a part of the lower base of a much larger trunk. The
preservation is as good as any I have seen of these trunks in museums.
A happy day for James!