COBT OF I'LANTINO BEACH GllASS. 27 



time at a dis^tance of about 20 inches from the first, and all is ready for 

 the next set. The phintino- proceeds (jiiite rapidly, as two men are 

 able to set G0<> plants per hour. 



COST Ol' IM.ANTING. 



The cost of plantino- depends upon the thickness at which the grass 

 must l)e set. On the more exposed areas reciuiring thick settinj^ live 

 men procurinjf sets, two teamsters, and eight planters, working nine 

 hours per day, are able to cover an acre in two days, ^^'ith wages at 

 $2 per day the cost is approximately ^<».5 per acre. This is with an abun- 

 dance of planting stock growing within a mile of the areas to be covered. 

 The thickness of tho planting is responsil)le for the great expense of the 

 operation, but the exposure of the northern slopes to the severe win- 

 ter gales makes it probabh; that thinner plantings would prove ineffec- 

 tive, at least upon the most exposed areas. The expense is much less 

 on the more protected areas, where thinner planting sufVices, and those 

 having the work in charge state that the 219 acres, covered with grass, 

 have been plantetl at an average cost of $50 per acre. 



The plantings of the first two years were made in rows ranging from 

 12 to 18 inches apart with the plants 12 inches or less in the row, but 

 this method appenrs to be less desirable than the irregular setting 

 which has since been used, as under the latter method there are no 

 uninterrupted channels through which the wind might sweep. The 

 plants are set approximately 20 inches apart, but there is evidence, 

 however, that it is not necessary to set them so close as this, except 

 on the most exposed areas. The thinner plantings afford more root- 

 ing area for the sets, and this helps to maintain the vigor of the trans- 

 planted sets. The increase in cost of the thick over the thin planting 

 is not justified unless there is considerable advantage to be derived 

 from the former. It has been the custom to protect the plantings with 

 lateral brush hedges. The large branches are set vertically in the 

 ground at intervals of from 2 to 3 feet and the interstices filled with 

 smaller brush. These hedges catch great quantities of sand or in case 

 of wind erosion prevent the uprooting of the grass (PI. VI, fig. 1). 



In some of the areas the small and isolated elevations have been 

 covered at a considerable expense with grass. This has been thought 

 to be an unnecessary procedure, as the wind reduces these deviations, 

 furnishing a gradual accumulation of sand over the plantings on the 

 associated level areas, which instead of proving a detriment to the 

 plantations increases the vigor and vegetative propagation. 



PRESENT STATITS OF THE VARIOUS PLANTINGS. 



The table giving the acreage and mortalit}' shows the salient facts 

 concerning the plantings of the different dates and seasons. There is a 

 uniform deterioration from the time the plants are set until they have 



