398 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



other side of the dune if the sand problem is to be settled. If the plant- 

 ing is done at the water edge, or at the edge of the break on traveling 

 dunes, then the newly washed up accumulations are kept covered by 

 vegetation. If the planting is always worked toward and close up to the 

 high water, the serious damage of drifting sand may be overcome. On 

 the southeast shore of Lake Michigan there are long stretches where 

 sand accumulates rapidly, and there annual planting on this newly 

 formed land must not cease, once the bare expanse of naked dunes back 

 from the shore are covered. There will always be a cutting and filling 

 operation carried on by the waves of the lake, but if the fills are planted 



Fig. 7. Government planting on south face of Creeping Joe at Manistee two years after 

 tlie temporary cover was established. Dense belt of mass planting in the foreground to hold 

 sand and break the sweep of the wind. 



close to the high water break, this problem becomes a simple one of 

 willow planting with a periodical filling of permanent trees as the beach 

 area is built into the lake. It cannot be hoped to prevent the building 

 up or the cutting away of the shore lines with planting. 



DUNE HISTORY AND EARLY EFFORTS TO CONTROL SAND. 



The encroachment of sand from Lake Michigan upon valuable orchard, 

 farm, and timber land has been a matter of much concern for many 

 years. Many theoretically correct but half hearted attempts have been 

 made to reclaim portions to some form of control. The investigative 

 reports of studies made by various organizations usually conclude by 

 offering recommendations, the carrying out of which would cost many 

 times what the land is worth. These lands are very largely privately 

 owned which fact makes their reclamation much more difficult than 

 where they are owned by the State or Federal Government. Experi- 

 ments have been tried with entire success in many spots along the west 

 shore. Where failure has resulted it has been due to the discontinuance 

 of the work before a final cover of permanent forest growth became estab- 



