RECLAIMING SAND-DRIFT COUNTRY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 2060, 27 November 1919, Page 3

RECLAIMING SAND-DRIFT COUNTRY.

SIR JAMES WILSON'S SUGGESTIONS. The reclamation of sand dimes is (he subject of a letter addressed to the Kaitaia Chamber of Commerce by Sir James Wilson, president of the Board of Agriculture.’ The chamber has been interesting itself in the treatment of the drifting sand dunes of the Kaitaia district. In the south of France, south of Bordeaux, there is a large area of land which goes under the name of “Landes” (writes Sir James (Wilson). It is a province, but when the Landres district is spoken of, it means the swampy district inside the sand dimes on the coast. On this country there lived a few rheumatic fowlers, and the sand dunes spread gradually inland. The Dutch people had previously, shown (hat it was possible to stop the drift by marram grass-, and had planted the area- then stabilised with trees. In Aberdeenshire the same had happened, and one of Hie laws of George 111,, I think, prohibits the cutting of any of this turf. Coke, of Norfolk, lias alsu shown what could be done by planting on the "Wash in his county. The French authorities, therefore, determined to stop the moving sand by planting marram grass. This was done, and when Hie grass had taken, the sand was planted with piiius pinarter, which seems to he the tree which has stood the blasts from the sea best. This enabled Hu* Governor of the Province to start a great drainage scheme, and the low, unhealthy places were so dried that Hie land became very valuable. Meanwhile the (roes grew up. The unwisdom of the British people who hud neglected forestry (the French as a nation an,* great foreslers), and therefore when the mines required props they could not lie procured in .sufficient numbers, and a trade with (he French people of Hie Landes district sprang up and many thousands of the thinnings of Hie forest on the sand dunes are now holding up the roofs in the British mines. The district became healthy and prosperous, instead of the very reverse. We have In New Zealand some 300,000 acres of <and dunes. We have in the ’’Farmers’ Advocate” been persistently asking that these should be planted. They are in (he midst of settlement, and we know grow valuable pines. On the Fox lon line of railway there is a plantation —0 is spoken of: in Mr Hulchins' Waipoua Forest pamphlet —which is some 35 years old, which was planted on a sand drift which Avas blowing across the road and railway. It is now a great forest of insignis trees with inuricatas on the outer edge. On some land my son lias some distance ahove this, on pure sand the trees have done well. This is m Hie midst of the sandy coast. We got Hie Government to begin planting trees al the Rangitikei Heads, but the war came, and it was given up. The trees, however, did well, but cattle have got ivi and destroyed many. We, hope to see this work begin again soon. Sir Francis Bell, who is at the head of the Forestry Department, is a keen forester, and he hopes to appoint a Director of Forestry soon. I hope the above may be of advantage to you in your attempt to prolit Hie district by reclaiming from waste some land which for ordinary production is useless, but may lie made for future generations more profitable Hum the best of land.”