Planting Sand Hills.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1609, 15 January 1886, Page 2

Planting Sand Hills.

New Zealaridt/ra who* visited'o'ur 'city a few yeaiaago used to be very much amused 'o'verth6 appe&aDce*6f'the park, which, save for a drive or two, was a moving, wilderhesß of sirtd dtines, and aa interesting experiment "lias been effectively employed 'by tKe Park Coink inissioners, which may be also interest-' ing to those who live m sandy locations. Eight years ago r the cpmtnissionurs planted some imported seed of tho Aruudo arenaria, or imnt, m tho sundv wildef nqssl ■ • For. years' not -n blade oft grass was seen. The sand's'liiftedat will, and the nurjes of the park felt" blue "over, the experiment. However, one day a few green sprouts were discovered by the gardener, and great joy reigned, for 10, after four years, the seed m the sand had come to life. They separated jtlie bunches of. grass, and transplanted them, each plant rooting, aud becoming m turn a bunch. By continued transplanting the whole mass of moving, sand has' been subdued, mid now there' are planted among: the grass 250,000 trees of cyprus and pine. When these grow, drives and walks will be cut, and the hideous wilderness which I saw Un years ago, transformed into a beautiful forest park.. An interesting character- I istic about the bent grass- is it* moveruentto windward. It will slowly encroach not only upon thetand, but upon the ocean m the direction of the wind. It 18 told by the park .gardener, Tayldr, that at Montrose, m Scotland, a battery -of«artillery was planted on the saud of the beach. Twenty-lire years ago the shifting sand at Montrose Beach was conquered by the beat grass. It grew down, to the high tide; raised the land, grew a' little fiirth'er> and by this process extended the shore- so* far "that a few years ago the battery of guns was found £6 be jtpq far from the heaob/to ;.Be effective, and has^ recently been waved for•waTd"; to the new shoreline tnade by. thu bent grass. \ thought the subject 'so : worthy of hotice> having aeea the wonderful effects of tUe heqt grass,, that I . giVe> it for what it is !w»rtbv-3S9,VER*.. Pen; m Auckland BercM. H