RECLAIMING SAND-DRIFT COUNTRY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2084, 31 January 1920, Page 2

RECLAIMING SAND-DRIFT COUNTRY.

BETWEEN Muriwai and the Eaipara Head.-, on the west Vofist, a distance’ of 30 miles, there is estimated to be an area of 30.000 acre,»f drifting sand, varying from one to three miles in width at low tide.

Writing on jJio subject of! thi.-> menace, Mr W. Blanehiieid describes the methods vised to stop the inland drift, and at the same time to (urn these sandy wastes into good pastures. Marram grass plants are first planted at intervals of 3ft. This is followed by the planting of lupins, and finally by clovers and ordinary grasses. The lupin is an annual, but each plant scatters thousands of seed for,the next year. The, dead wood is reduced to dust by wood lice, and the dead leaves and twigs add humus and the roots nitrogen to the soil. The marram grass does but bind the sand and give shelter to the lupins. At various places along the sand belt there are patches of land, now growing native grasses, which, according to the writer, would make excellent sites for nurseries for producing marram grass and lupins. Observers from Dunedin and New Plymouth, where similar work has been undertaken, have slated that splendid pasture bus been created out*of sucli sand areas. It lias also been found that such land makes excellent ground for poultry raising. owing to its warmth. Near Woudbiil (he sand in places is within a-mile of the railway fine, and it is hoped that something on' a large scale will be allempled by the Government to save much valuable pasture now being “eaten up’’ by the drift, in the Foxlou district a considerable area of sand-drift land lias been reclaimed by the cultivation of marram grass and lupin. Where Ibis landis privatelyowned in small areas it is soon.improved and brought into profit, but very little is done lo combat Ihe sand drift on large holdings and Maori leasehold land. The Government should make it compulsory upon owners and occupiers to prevent the sand-drift nuisance.