476 A. E. Verrill — The Bermuda Islands. 



in the case of Lantana, which was first planted as a fuel supply. 

 Among the plants that have been efficient in stopping the sand are 

 the sage-bushes [Lantana) ; the "black berry" {Scmvohi label/"); 

 the sea-side morning glory ( Ipomaza pes-caproe) ; the bay lavender 

 (Tournefortia), and other herbaceous plants; and also several 

 grasses, of which Cenchrus tribuloides is probably the most impor- 

 tant. In some places, a little away from the seashore, the Lantana* 

 completely cover the sand-hills and are very effectual in stopping 

 their drifting. In other sections, even close to the shore, the 

 Scwvola has thickly covered the newer sand-hills with its rootstalks 

 and prostrate branches, and as its thick leaves, growing in tufts, seem 

 to be almost unaffected by the salt spray, it is a very efficient binder 

 of the sand. (Plate lxxvi.) This has now already abundantly 

 invaded the sand-hills of Tucker's Town, close to the shore, and 

 probably they may also become stationary, by its aid, in a few years, 

 for other plants will soon come in to reinforce this pioneer. This 

 result could easily be hastened by the intelligent planting of suitable 

 plants in the loose sand. 



On the south shore, at Tucker's Town,* both east and west of the 

 "Natural Arches" for about a mile, there are extensive broad natish 

 beaches of white shell-sand. (See plates lxxv and lxxvi.) The strong 

 southerly and southwesterly winds at times pick up the dry sand 

 from the upper part of the beaches in large quantities and sweep 

 it up the sides and over the tops of the adjacent hills to the height of 

 60 feet or more, very much as our winter winds will drift dry snow. 



Fortunately these calcareous sands, if undisturbed for a time, have 

 the property of becoming cemented together into a crust at the 

 surface, in a short time, by the action of the rain-water, which, by 

 virtue of the cai'bonic acid gas that it contains in solution, can dis- 

 solve the limestone particles. Then, by partially evaporating, it can 

 deposit it again as a cement between the grains of sands, thus bind- 

 ing them together more and more firmly. Thus it is only necessary 

 that the vegetation should be able to protect the sand from the 

 action of the ordinary winds, for perhaps a few weeks at a time, 

 when, by this cementing process, the surface may become aide to 

 resist the action of the stronger gales ; still, even after a considerable 



* Tucker's Town was so named because Governor Daniel Tucker laid out a 

 town hei'e in 1616, with regular streets and house lots in squares, and he also 

 built some small frame houses of cedar. It is recorded that he also planted here 

 sugar canes and hedges of figs and pomegranates, in 1010. The streets and 

 buildings are indicated on Norwood's map of 10'-2». 



